


Come Guide Me Home

by Hiyochi



Series: You're My Home [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abusive Family, Alternate Universe - High School, Anxiety Attacks, Bottom!Cas, Bullying, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, First Time Bottoming, HS!AU, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Kinks, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, Past Sexual Abuse, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sex Toys, top!dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-30
Updated: 2015-02-06
Packaged: 2018-01-17 14:59:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 23
Words: 436,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1391956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hiyochi/pseuds/Hiyochi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bullied Castiel Milton transfer to a new high school in hopes to just get through his last year. He meets Dean Winchester on his first day and we follow them throughout their school year to see how things progress for them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hey Blue Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone c:  
> I know there's a rape tag on that, but just to let you know, it's not Dean who hurts Cas. This is a three part fic so it's quite a long story. If I missed any tags, please do tell me.  
> Anyway, best of luck reading this extensively long fic.

Castiel Milton was starting a new school and today was his first day. He stood in front of the dauntingly large high school, staring at it with an uneasy feeling. He saw the students walking in and was soon caught in the flow of people. He had a hard time trying to find his classroom but soon he stood in front of the door to his first class. The bell had just rung and kids were walking past him to get into class. He tightly gripped his bag and hesitantly walked inside, not ready to start the day.

The teacher was waiting in front of the class, putting her papers together as she saw the kids pouring in and filling the seats. She glanced around to make sure everyone was there before she started talking. Castiel stood at the front of the class shifting back and forth, nervously. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. Were there assigned seats? Did he have to talk to the teacher? He just wanted to go sit down.

Dean Winchester sat in the very back corner of the room-- as always-- watching, uninterested, as other students filled the room. He raised a brow slightly as the dark haired, new kid came in, looking nervous. 

‘ _ New meat, interesting _ .’ He thought. 

"Good morning everyone, I hope you had a good weekend. We'll be getting right into our new topic, but before we do, we have a new student that transferred into our school." the teacher gestured to Castiel. "Would you like to introduce yourself?" she asked, looking at the younger boy.

Castiel barely shook his head, gripping his bag a little tighter. He didn't like being in the center of attention. He could see all the eyes boring into him so he looked down at his feet. "Okay then, you can go sit down next to ... Dean. Dean raise your hand." she instructed.

Dean suppressed a sigh, reluctantly raising his hand halfway in the air. ' _ Of course the newbie would get the one seat next to me. Well, at least it wasn't an overly flirty girl this time, _ ' He shuddered slightly at the memory.

Castiel quickly glanced at the person who raised their hand, sitting in the back of the classroom. He kept his head down as he walked to his seat. He placed his bag on his new desk and sat down. Some of the kids watched him with interest, murmuring among themselves about him.

The teacher sighed, "Alright, open your textbooks to page 359 and take out your notebook." she said, before turning to the board.

Dean lost interest as soon as the teacher mentioned textbooks. ' _ Yeah, not happening _ .' he scoffed quietly.

He fiddled for a few minutes, not paying the least bit of attention, before becoming insanely bored. He let out a sigh, glancing at the new kid beside him. ' _ Well, there isn't much else to do.. _ .'

"Hey. What's your name?" Dean asked, just loud enough for the other to hear.

Castiel was sitting in his seat, staring down at his notebook. He was writing down the lecture when he heard a voice next to him, Dean, as the teacher said. He was asking for his name. Castiel just pretended not to hear, not wanting to get involved with the other student or students.

Dean frowned slightly, completely sure the other student must have heard him. ' _ Wait, is this kid actually ignoring me?Oh. No. No, no way _ .' he thought offendedly.

"Hey, blue eyes. Can I at least have a piece of paper?" He tried, now determined to get some sort of acknowledgment.

Castiel stopped what he was doing, puzzled at the request. He found no harm in giving him a piece of paper so he ripped one out and handed it to him without sparing a glance. He didn't like the nickname but he wasn't going to correct him.

Dean snatched the paper, perturbed that he apparently wasn't even worth a glance from this kid. "Thanks, chuckles." He muttered. ' _ Great _ .'

He was stuck in school with nothing to do and he couldn't even get the kid next to him to talk. Dean leaned back in his chair, deciding he'd have to come up with a new strategy to distract himself.

Castiel glanced at him from the corner of his eye. ' _ Why did he needed a piece of paper? He's not even using it _ ,' he grumbled. He huffed a little, he's making these ridiculous names and asks for a piece of paper that he wasn't even going to use. He turned back to his notebook, writing down more notes.

Dean sighed, letting his chair tip forward to the ground again. He was still pissed that the other kid had barely acknowledged him, but fine- he didn't need him anyway. He fiddled with the corner of the paper absently before deciding that if he wasn't going to be taking any notes, he might as well doodle or something. He pulled out a stub of a pencil from the pocket of his leather jacket, ignoring the rest of the world as he started to scribble in the margins.

Castiel noticed that he was sitting back on the ground, scribbling on the paper with a basically useless stencil. ' _ Did he even want to be in school? _ ' He thought.

Personally, he didn't either but he needed the education. Castiel glanced down at the paper that the other was scribbling on, seeing little drawings. He could “kind of” determine what they were, but he assumed drawing was not his neighbor's strong point. He turned back to his notebook to make it look like he was doing something.

Dean took a break from his messy scrawlings, glancing sideways at Blue Eyes. ' _ Is he actually taking notes? The teacher’s just droning on about who knows what. Apparently Blue Eyes knows, since he’s  taking so many notes. Even if the kid is a total bitch, maybe he’s smart. It would be pretty handy to have a paper to look at on test day _ .' he figured.

Castiel had learned about this topic previously at his old school so he didn't need to take such detailed notes. He kind of just stopped after a while and started drawing little things on the side of his notes like the kid next to him. He didn't know when the class was over, but he wanted it to end.

Dean glanced up at the clock. ' _ 10 more minutes. Too bad it isn't last period _ .' He stifled a sigh, ready to get out of there. He watched the clock ticking slowly, his hand already hovering over the strap of his backpack. He looked over at Note Taker, smirking to himself when he saw he was drawing too.

The teacher glanced at the clock, "Okay, you can gather your stuff. Since we have a new student, I'm going to let you guys pass on tonight's homework." the class cheered a little.

She looked up at the class, "Dean." she said. "I noticed you did not once look up here. Since my class isn't worth your time, I'm going to waste your time. You're in charge of directing Castiel to his classes." she told him.

Castiel froze in the middle of packing, he was stuck with the kid who was calling him weird names. He felt a sense of dread settle in the pit of his stomach, not wanting to be forced to be with someone.

Dean gave his best are-you-fucking-kidding-me glare at the ceiling before forcing a smile at the teacher. "Yes ma'am." He said with obvious fake politeness. ' _ So now I'm stuck showing Blue Eyes around-- wait, no, Castiel was his name. Well, a weird name for a weird kid, apparently..' _

"Good." She said, "Class dismissed." she said, sitting down at her desk.

Castiel shoved his notebook back in his bag. He wanted to leave as fast as he could. No way was he going to be stuck next to him. He was scared that he was going to get bullied. He shouldered his bag and walked toward the door.

Dean frowned as Castiel hurried to leave, casting a frown at the teacher before sighing and quickly following him. As much as he didn't want to have to deal with the other guy, he also didn't want him wandering around the school, lost. Especially since there was a good chance their teacher would find out. He snaked in between the other students, catching a glimpse of the new kid walking away briskly.

"Hey, Blu-- Castiel, hang on a second, man!" He called.

Castiel gripped his bag, should he run? Should he turn to face him and get it over with? What would he want from him? Dean was probably pissed that their teacher told him to lead him around. Castiel bit his lower lip, slowing down a little. Maybe if he tells him that he'll be okay and that he'll tell the teacher he found someone else to lead him then he'll leave him alone and be happy with that. He stopped walking, turning toward the approaching figure.

Dean hurried to catch up, stopping beside him and grinning crookedly. "So it's Castiel, huh? I'm Dean, but I guess you already know that. Anyways, what's your next class?" he asked, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder. He did feel bad for the guy, being a new kid in the middle of a huge high school, figuring he might as well help him.

Castiel stared at Dean, finally getting a good look at him. He was slightly taller than he was, short hair, more physically built, freckles, and green eyes. He just stared at the smile; was he just messing with him or was he really going to help him?

Castiel stared at Dean for another moment before he finally spoke, "It's fine...I can find my way," he said.

Dean's grin faded slightly under Castiel's scrutiny. What was his deal? He was just trying to be nice for once.

"Okay, fine. Suit yourself, Blue," he said with a frown.

Castiel frowned a little, hearing Dean change his name back to a nickname. He didn't understand, he clearly didn't want to help him in the first place, so why is he displeased? He was trying to do them both a favor. He didn't say anything to Dean, seeing him turn to walk away. Castiel turned to go find his class when a kid bumped into him roughly, making him drop his bag, scattering his belongings out. He quickly stooped down to grab his things, trying to ignore the stares and pointing. He could feel the embarrassment climbing up his skin.

Dean heard the sniggers as he turned, letting out a resigned sigh before stooping down to help Castiel gather his books. He might not want help, but Dean couldn't watch him become the school joke on his first day.

Castiel looked up at Dean, seeing him help him pick up his things. When he stood back up, Dean handed him his small collection. He took them back gratefully and put it away in his bag. He saw Dean turning away again and he quickly blurted out.

"I'm sorry. Thank you." he said, apologizing on why he was wrong about earlier and thanking him for helping him.

"Don't mention it, Cas." Dean replied, still trying to figure him out. "So do you actually know where you're going or were you just trying to get rid of me?" He asked, smirking.

Castiel felt a light blush dust past his cheeks at the shortened version of his name and being caught on not actually knowing where he was or where he was going. He shook his head at Dean's question. "I don't and I thought you didn't want to lead me to my classes." he said.

Dean shrugged, not noticing his blush. "It's not like I have anything better to do. Besides, I can't sit around and watch you be bully-bait. I mean, you gave me a piece of paper." He joked with a smile. ' _ Jeez, this kid needs to lighten up _ .'

For whatever reason, Dean decided he was going to help this guy. After all, it wasn't like anyone else was. "So, where're you going now?"

Castiel looked at Dean a little curiously, no one in his previous schools had helped him or offer to lead him to his classes. He felt a little grateful, but he couldn't fully trust on that alone. He fumbled in his pockets after Dean asked him where he was going. He pulled out his schedule, "English." He answered.

' _ He's just a ball of sunshine _ ,' Dean thought sarcastically. "Oh, same. I guess there's a good chance we'll be in a few classes together." He said. "Anyway, it's this way. We should probably hurry, if you care about being late." He added with a shrug.

Castiel put his bag back over his shoulder, quickly catching up to Dean. He was a step behind him trying to avoid people. "Why do you seem to not care about being here?" He asked.

Dean shrugged, glancing back at him. "Prob'bly cause I don't." He replied with a crooked grin. "What about you? You seem to pay attention, at least. Don't want to talk during class or whatever." He said with an arched brow, talking about his ignoring earlier.

"I'm sorry." Castiel apologized again. He looked at Dean, "It's for my own goals." He said.

"Nah, it's cool. I try not to talk to most people too. They're usually asses." He replied, waving off his apology. "What're your goals?" He asked. Dean didn't have many- he'd probably end up working in his uncle Bobby's car shop. Some job away from his dad.

Castiel hesitated, not sure if he should tell someone he didn't really know very well. "I...I want to be a writer and my parents won't allow it." he explained when he didn't see the harm in saying it. He looked at Dean from the corner of his eye, he seemed so calm about things like he didn't have much to worry about. ' _ Must be nice...' _ he thought.

"A writer, huh? You seem like the quiet, mysterious type. Good writer stuff." Dean replied. "Too bad your parents don't like it, but parents can be serious dicks sometimes." He said, figuring they at least had that in common.

"You sound like you would know that first hand." said Castiel. "Don't you have future aspirations?" he asked.

Dean shrugged. "I'll probably be a mechanic. Try to help my brother pay for college." He replied. "That's pretty much it."

"You have a brother?" Castiel looked at him with interest. "You're going to be paying for his college? Why?" he was fueled by curiosity now, no longer seeming disinterested.

"Yeah, Sam. He's the-" Dean stopped himself, suddenly realizing how much he was about to tell this almost stranger. He shrugged instead. "I'm just going to help out. He deserves it more than I do." At least he wasn't completely emotionless now, but Dean wasn't 100% sure if he liked this curiosity.

Castiel scrunched his eyebrows, curious at the answer. "Why would he deserve it more than you? I don't understand. Wouldn't you deserve it equally?" he glanced up at Dean and stared at him for a little bit before he added more. "You...You don't sound very fond of yourself." he deducted. He was always told he was blunt and was easy to read into people. He was really observant since he didn’t socialize. 

"Okay, Cas, let's slow down on the questions, alright?" Dean replied, patting him on the shoulder rather than answering. ' _ Damn, this guy was a little too personal a lot too soon _ .' He decided he'd let it slide for now, but Blue Eyes needed to figure out when to stop talking.

Castiel shut his mouth, "I'm sorry." he said. "I'm not very good with people." he said, holding onto his bag.

"So I've noticed." Dean replied, glancing at him with a half grin. "Don't worry about it. You'll figure it out. You seem nice enough, anyway."

Castiel looked up at him, before looking down with a small smile. "Thank you." he said. Mostly everyone just called him awkward and weird, hearing someone else say that he was nice despite the bump in their conversation was a nice feeling. He found it easier to talk to Dean than others he had tried to in the past, conversation just seemed to flow better.

Dean smiled in response, wondering why he seemed drawn to the kid. He was strange and kind of an ass, but his heart seemed to be in the right place. Dean shrugged it off, deciding not to put too much thought into it, before stopping beside the door of the English room. "Well, here we are. New kids first." He said with a grin, opening the door.

Castiel glanced at him, before walking into class. Dean was an interesting person...so far he seemed nice. He hoped that he would continue being so and the other would help him around. 

The teacher looked up, "Get lost?" he asked. Castiel nodded. The teacher sighed in response, "It's fine. I heard Dean was showing you the classes, I expected it. You may take your seats." he said.

Dean grinned cockily as he followed Castiel in, heading towards his desk. Having a free pass to be late was nice. He was late pretty often normally, but it was nice not to have to have a whole lecture on it. Still, for Cas's sake, he'd try not to make him late for everything.

Castiel took a seat, which apparently is next to Dean's normal one. He didn't understand why the seat next to Dean's would be empty in two classes. "Does no one sit next to you?" he asked. "No one sat next to you in the last class either." he commented.

Dean smiled slightly, looking down at the floor before meeting Cas's eyes. "Let's just say I'm not great with people either, okay?" He said, not having any other way to explain it simply. "No one messes with me, I don't mess with them. Usually."

Castiel tipped his head to the side, looking at Dean curiously. "Why would they mess with you? You seem intimidating." that was the impression he got from Dean when they first met, but after a little bit of talking he figured he judged him a little harshly at first.

"Intimidating, huh?" Dean grinned, taking that as a compliment. "Well, people are dicks. And they like to gang up on people." He shrugged nonchalantly. "But I can take care of myself."

Castiel looked away, knowing well enough that people can be cruel. He'd only wished that he could've have taken care of himself from those people or that they would've left him alone. "Seems so." he replied.

Dean looked at him curiously, noticing the change in him. "Well, stick with me, Blue Eyes, and people won't mess with you." He grinned.

Castiel looked back over at Dean, smiling a little. "Okay. Thank you ... Dean." he replied.

Dean nodded casually. "Don't mention it, Cas."

Well, they were friends now. Dean wasn't sure how it had managed to happen, but he definitely didn't regret it. He liked Castiel, in a way he'd never experienced before. It was oddly... nice. Cas was a bit weird but he just need a little help with social cues. Dean didn't normally talk to other students, let alone actually be their friend so this was different for him.

Castiel felt a sliver of happiness, he made a friend. He felt a little bad that he treated Dean so dismissively from the beginning but he couldn't change that. He looked back at the teacher, seeing that he was just teaching basic grammar rules. He didn't exactly have to pay close attention.

He looked back at Dean, "I saw you were drawing earlier. What were you drawing?" he asked.

Dean glanced up, slightly surprised that Cas seemed more talkative now. He was like an entirely different person, once he'd warmed up a little. "Oh, just doodles. Stupid stuff mostly- cars and stuff." He shrugged. "Just to pass the time, really. What about you? I saw you drawing too."

"Oh, I was drawing bees." Castiel responded. "I like bees. They are such simple and peaceful creatures." he added. He was looking at Dean with such an honest expression like it was something normal for someone to say.

Dean had to bite his lip to keep from laughing once he realized Cas was serious. "Bees, huh? Well, I guess everyone's got something they like. But ‘peaceful’? What about the stinging?"

"Everyone has this misconception about bees. They are peaceful, not to be mixed up with wasps. Bees know that once they sting someone they die, basically meaning they don't think you're worth their death sentence. They are actually very docile and hard workers. Very cute." Castiel looked a little happy explaining his fondness of bees.

"Huh. I guess I never really thought about that." Dean replied, wondering how some could look so happy to talk about bees. "That is pretty cool though, they only fight when it's worth dying for."

Castiel brightened up a little hearing Dean having a nice opinion about them. "I know it's a little strange for someone to like a yellow fuzzy creature, but there's always more than what meets the eye."

Dean shrugged slightly and nodded. He had a point; there's always more than what meets the eye. "Strange isn't always bad." He replied, thinking that in this case it was actually kind of cute. Dean blinked, wondering where that had come from.

Castiel smiled at Dean, "No, I suppose it's not." he said.

Dean returned the smile easily, thankful that for once he was talking to someone outside of his family that wasn't lecturing him, scorning him, or being a general ass. It was a new sensation for him and he was suddenly glad he became friends with Cas.

Castiel turned back to the teacher again to make it look like he was at least paying some sort of attention. He felt good that Dean seemed to like him, not making fun of him. It was a nice feeling. He wondered if they had any more classes together.

He took out his schedule and glanced at Dean, "Do we have more classes together?" he asked

Dean took his schedule and glanced down it. "We have the same lunch, which is good, and history, science, and gym." He replied, glad they had more classes together. "I'll show you the way to all of your classes, at least for today. Don't want you wandering off and getting lost."

"Thank you." Castiel responded. "Guess we'll be together in most of our classes." he said.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, s'pretty cool. I'll try not to distract you too much from your studies." He said with a hint of sarcasm, glancing up at the teacher they weren't paying the slightest bit of attention.

Castiel looked at Dean, "Why would you?" He asked.

The teacher had glanced up and saw that Castiel wasn't paying attention. "Castiel. Since you aren't paying attention, come up here and do this example." He said.

Castiel quickly turned his head to the front and bit his lip a little. He hesitated slightly before standing up and walking toward the front. He kept his head down, making his way quickly from the back to the front of the class. He didn't like all the stares at his back. Castiel grabbed the expo marker and reached for the board. He was shaking a little, feeling extremely nervous. He filled in the answers and set the marker down.

The teacher looked over at him, "That's correct. Though you may know it, others don't. Please don't talk while I'm teaching. You may return to your seat." He said. Castiel walked back to his seat, ignoring the stares and the bit of laughter from everyone.

Dean smiled apologetically. "Yeah, like that. I think the teachers have finally accepted my shit, but I don't think they'll go easy on you." He murmured, not wanting either of them to be called out again. At least he'd gotten it right.

Castiel shook his head, "It's fine." He said, sitting down. He grabbed the side of his arm as a small shudder ran through him.

"Hey, you okay man?" Dean asked with a frown, realizing how shaken he looked. He felt a pang of guilt- he must not get called out often.

Castiel nodded, he didn't want Dean to notice. It was already embarrassing enough that he was reacting this way but even more so in front of his new friend. He rested both arms on the table, clasping them together.

Dean hesitated, feeling extremely bad for making the poor kid get called on. But he'd done it right, so why was he so upset? He felt like he should say something else, offer some comfort or something, but he didn't have a clue what to say. He'd known Cas for barely a few hours, and already he was getting him in trouble and practically giving him an anxiety attack. Dean stifled a sigh, wondering if it would've been better for Castiel if he had just left him alone.

Castiel was doing what he always does when this happens, counting and breathing. He used to talk to himself but people would think he was insane. He kept quiet, until he calmed down. He looked down at his hands and unclasped them. He wasn't shaking anymore. He sighed softly and casted a glance at Dean, who seemed to be conflicted. He opened his mouth to ask but he didn't want to get in trouble. He sat there for a moment before an idea came to him.

He pulled out his notebook and wrote, "What's wrong?" on it before passing the note to Dean.

Dean looked at the paper and arched a brow at Cas. "Passing notes? Really?" He mouthed with an amused smirk before reading the message, his smile fading slightly.

' _ How did this guy notice everything?! _ ' He tapped the paper, trying to decide if he should lie, like normal, or actually tell him the truth. Would he notice if he lied? Probably. He stifled a sigh and wrote, "I'm not really a good person to hang around. People won't mess with you if you're with me, but they won't talk to you much either. And teachers will already assume you're an ass for even sitting by me." he passed the paper back with a shrug. Might as well tell the truth now, so Cas didn't get too attached.

Castiel took paper back and glanced it over, his eyebrows scrunched a little in a displeased face. He picked up his pencil to write his reply. He was upset with that answer. "If other people won't talk to me because of you, then perhaps I don't need them. You've been kind to me, so why would I stop being friends with you just because of their perception? The teachers can assume what they wish, but if I turn in my work and get good grades, why would it matter if they think I am?" he passed the note back to Dean.

Dean watched him as he read, at first thinking the frown must be him realizing his mistake. When he got the piece of paper back, however, his eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. He smiled slightly before even realizing it, glancing over at Cas and back down to the paper. "Thanks." he scrawled simply before passing it back. So it looked like they were in this together now.

Castiel smiled at the written thank you. He seemed pleased that he'd gotten Dean to understand. Class was almost over and Castiel still had the paper. He wasn't going to throw it away; So he drew on it, he started drawing bees again. He wanted something that he can remember that he made a friend today.

Dean turned back forward, smirking at Cas drawing little bees over the note. Okay, he was pretty strange, but Dean didn't exactly have the luxury of being picky when it came to friends. Besides, he had some really good qualities; loyalty, for one, which Dean definitely appreciated in a person.

The teacher finally stopped talking, noticing the time. "Okay, gather your things. Talk amongst yourself until class is over." He said. "Castiel, I would like to have a moment with you after class." he added as he sat down at his desk. Castiel stopped his drawings, gulping a little. The class looked back at him, fueled by new interests, thinking that the other student was in trouble. They murmured among themselves as Castiel put his stuff away, folding the note and putting it safely in his bag. He was feeling nervous again.

Dean stopped in gathering his things, casting a glance at Cas and frowning. ' _ What the hell could the teacher want with him? Couldn't he see he'd embarrassed him enough? _ '

"Hey, I'll wait for you right outside, okay?" He told him, determined to provide some sort of reassurance.

Castiel nodded, looking over at Dean with a small smile. He felt a little better that Dean was going to wait and the class was going to be gone when he and the teacher talked. Soon the bell rang and the kids were slowly leaving the class. Some looked back to watch and some lingered. The teacher shoo'd them away. "Nosy kids." he sighed. Castiel looked at Dean again, before walking toward the teacher's desk to talk.

Dean hesitated for just a moment in the doorway, the last one to leave, before adjusting his backpack on his shoulder and walking out. He leaned up against a locker outside the classroom door, frowning and wishing the halls were quieter so that he could hear what was going on.

Castiel emerged from the class not long after, but the hallways have quieted down as kids were already in most of their classes. He didn't look distressed or anything, just a little surprised. He turned and saw Dean waiting for him, his face brightened up a little.

Dean pushed himself off of the locker, glancing around the nearly empty halls. "Hey. So what'd he want?" He asked curiously, relieved that Cas didn't seem too upset. He must not have been chewed out, at least.

"He said he was sorry for calling me out on my first day, but he wanted to keep everyone in shape. He said that he knew I was advancing in English, that I wasn't going to get the questions wrong and I should look into tutoring some of the students in class." Castiel explained.

"Oh." Dean replied, surprised. "Well, that's good, I guess. Do you want to tutor people?" He asked, thinking that sounded crazy boring.

"Not particularly. I don't know anyone, but he recommended that I would start with you since you seemed to be struggling the most in his class." Castiel looked at him with his head tipped curiously to the side. "I don't mind tutoring you if you wish." he said.

Dean chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I probably am doing the worst. I don't know how much tutoring will help me though. I'm kind of a lost cause." He joked, though it was true.

Castiel raised his eyebrows, "I don't think you would be a lost cause, you seem to be capable. I just think you need someone to be able to sit with you and teach you. I can do that." he replied.

Dean shrugged, feeling weird that Cas had so much confidence in him. "You can try, I guess. If you want to." He replied, unsure of how to feel.

"Okay." Castiel nodded. "We can try whenever you're not busy." he said, shrugging his bag higher on his shoulder. He glanced around, now noticing the scarce hallways. "I think we're going to be late to our next class." he said.

Dean looked around too and shrugged. "Yeah, but your teacher won't mind since you're new. You have science next too, right?" He asked, making sure.

Castiel nodded, starting to follow Dean to their next class. "Do you play any sports?" he asked, seeing all the posters across the hallways and fliers.

Dean shook his head. "Not school sports. My dad taught me how to shoot, though, so I guess that kind of counts. What about you? Any clubs or whatever?" He asked, figuring Cas didn't really seem like the athletic type.

Castiel shook his head, "No I wasn't very good at sports, too much competition. I never found a club that I liked so I never joined one." he explained, though he did run in his downtime. He just didn’t like the whole team thing, competing. It just wasn’t for him. He looked back at the other, "You shoot?" he asked.

"Yeah. Dad thought I should learn. S’pretty much all he taught me." He replied with a note of bitterness. "Doesn't really matter now though, I know what I know." He added, meandering down the hall at a casual pace.

Castiel noted the tone of bitterness. He didn't make a comment about it, having a feeling that Dean wasn't comfortable about talking about his family. He noticed that he brightened visibly from earlier talking about...Sam was it? But once he brought in his father, he seemed to darken and sound upset. Castiel felt a bit of pity for Dean, but he could sympathize.

"Maybe you could show me? It sounds really interesting." he said.

Dean glanced at him and smirked. "You want to learn how to shoot?" He asked. "Sure, I'll show you. If you're not just saying that to be nice." Cas definitely did not seem like someone particularly interested in guns.

"I'm not saying it just to be nice. I've never done it so there's no harm in trying. I might like it." Castiel responded. "So, you're going to teach me how to shoot and I'll teach you English. Sounds like a fair trade." he said.

Dean chuckled. "Sounds fair to me. I think we'll both have our work cut out for us, though." He replied as they reached the door to their science lab room. "Ready to face another period of killer boredom?" He asked with a sigh, glaring at the door as if he was willing it to disappear.

Castiel laughed a little, "I don't think staring down a door will make anything happen." he said, turning the knob of the door. He walked in first, holding the end for Dean to come in.

The teacher looked over at them, "Glad for you to join us boys, go ahead and sit at a lab table. We're going to be doing an experiment today." she chirped happily.

Dean followed him in. "An experiment. Great." he muttered under his breath so that the teacher couldn't hear, flashing his usual I'm-not-up-to-anything smile at the teacher and heading towards the only empty lab table.

The teacher arched a brow at Dean before going back to explaining. Castiel had taken the empty table with Dean and setting his stuff down on the ground. "Your partners will be your neighbors so once you've put on your lab coats and goggles, you may get started." the teacher instructed.

Castiel looked at Dean, "I don't know what we're doing." he said.

Dean shrugged. "Story of my life." He glanced at the materials on the table and grinned slightly. "Yeah, I don't have a fucking clue. I guess we're winging it, then." He said, looking up at Cas again. It was what he did most of the time anyway.

The teacher looked at them, "You boys need to get your lab coats and goggles. This is a simple project, the instructions are on my desk." she said.

Castiel nodded, he looked at Dean. "Where do you get coats and goggles?" he asked.

"I'll grab the goggles and coats if you want to get the instructions." Dean replied, figuring he'd give it a shot for Cas's sake. He went over to get the supplies, not wanting to be the one going to the teacher's desk. At least they'd be nice to the new kid, right? Castiel got up and started to go to the teacher's desk.

These girls were whispering to each other, "Why is he hanging out with Dean? He's the bad kid. Maybe he's bad himself."

The other girl whispered back, "Him? He's lanky he couldn't take anyone on. Maybe he's gay. He looks gay." the girl giggled. "Maybe he's trying to seduce Dean." she added.

The first girl shook her head, "Too plain, too boring. He couldn't do it. He’s dressed weird too." she said.

The other girl looked at Castiel, "I dunno, he's kind of cute. I would go for him. Maybe he would be grateful if someone like me tried." she laughed.

Castiel's ears burned up, hearing them gossip to each other. He hunched his shoulders, trying to make himself small as possible as he tried to quickly grab the paper and go. He looked down at his clothing, they were baggy on him and his fashion sense has never been that great. But he felt comfy in them, what was wrong with it?

One kid accidentally put his leg out, causing him to stumble and fall onto his hands and knees. "Oh, sorry. You should watch where you're going." the kid said dully. The class laughed at Castiel, seeing him fall down in front of the class. Castiel started shaking, slowly getting back up. He didn't like this. He felt terrible, stomach twisting in knots. He wanted to run away, disappear.

Dean turned around with the aprons and goggles just in time to see Cas being tripped. His fists clenched around the materials before throwing them haphazardly at their station. His jaw tight, he walked down the aisle to where Cas stood, shaking.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked quietly, eyes seeking out and giving an appropriate death glare at the kid who'd tripped him.

The kid looked away from Dean and Castiel. Castiel grabbed his own arm, trying to stop the shaking. He couldn't stop shaking. He barely heard Dean's question, he looked up at him. His normally tanned skin was paled out, he looked absolutely frightened.

He shook his head, looking away. "No...no I-I need to go." he said quietly before quickly leaving the room, not even taking his things.

The girls stopped and watched, they looked at Dean then each other, "What's his problem anyway? He trips and he has a break down? What a weirdo." they said to each other. "Maybe he should just stay home, probably is sick. Definitely doesn’t fit in."

Dean whirled toward them, jaw working and eyes glaring. "What, doesn't belong surrounded by bitches and asses like you!? No, you're right, he deserves a lot better than the likes of you." He retorted, turning on his heel and storming out of the room to follow Cas. He was probably going to catch shit about that later, but he didn't care. He wasn't going to let them talk like that about him. What the hell did they know?

The girls gasped at being talked to like that. The teacher sighed, "Everyone get back to work. You two, detention." she pointed to the girls.

"But why?" they whined.

"Harassment." she said.

Castiel ran, not sure on where to go. He ran to one of the bathrooms. He closed himself in one of the stalls and put the lid down. He sat on top of one, drawing his knees into his chest and his arms around his head. He gripped his head, feeling his stomach churn and his heart drop even though it was racing in his chest.. He shouldn't have come to school. He gripped himself tighter, trying to stop the shaking. He tried to count to calm himself, but his mind kept playing with him. Replying old memories mixed with new ones, all their laughs, their taunts, the humiliation. He pulled himself closer wanting to disappear.

Dean stepped out into the hallway, looking around and barely managing to see Cas's disappear into a restroom. He followed him quickly, hurrying into the bathroom. "Castiel? You in here?" He called, not seeing any feet under the stalls. He knew Cas couldn't have just disappeared, but he wanted to give him an out in case he really didn't want to talk.

Castiel stopped clutching his head a little, "D-Dean?" he said timidly. He wasn't sure why Dean followed him. He felt his heart swell a little for someone worrying about him. "Go away Dean...You shouldn't be here. I'm...You shouldn't be involved with me." he said softly.

"Nope. Not going anywhere. Sorry, but you're stuck with me, Cas." Dean replied. "I told off those asses by the way. They're no better than anyone else, as much as they'd like to act like they are."

"You're...You’re a nice person Dean." Castiel replied after a moment. He felt himself calm down slightly, still shaky but better than a few moment ago. "I...I used to be bullied." he confessed, pulling his knees closer. He didn’t know why he was telling Dean. He didn’t tell anyone, but...it was out of his mouth before he even thought to say it.

Dean smiled slightly. He was definitely not a nice person, but no need to bring that up now. "Yeah, I kinda figured. It must've been pretty bad. But like I said, you're stuck with me, and I'll defend you whenever you need it. But you can't let them see weakness. They're like sharks- once they get a taste of blood they frenzy around it."

"I don't know how to stop it. Once I feel the humiliation, all of it comes rushing back." Castiel said sadly. "I want to be like you, stronger, Brave even. But I don't know how."

Dean nodded, knowing what he meant. "That's okay. I'll help you out until you figure it out, alright? I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. Not anymore." He assured, wanting to protect Cas from the bullies. No one deserved to be treated like that.

Castiel sat on the stall for a few moments, letting the words sink in before he stepped off the toilet feeling calmer. He opened the stall door and slowly walked out. He looked toward Dean with gratefulness, "Thank you Dean..." he smiled just a little, sincerely meaning it.

Dean grinned, wrapping an arm around Cas's shoulders. "Anytime, Blue Eyes. Though I hope you won't need another Dean styled pep talk for a while." He joked, glad to see Cas smiling.

Castiel laughed slightly, "Let's hope not." he replied, feeling a small happiness bubble in him. He looked at Dean, "Umm...do...do we have to go back to class?" he asked, looking down at his feet this time.

Dean's crooked grin widened. "No, we certainly do not. It's just an experiment anyway." He said, waving it off. The other kids might talk, but Dean didn't give a damn about them anyway.

Castiel looked at him with relief, before he realized something. "I forgot my stuff in the class though." he said.

Dean groaned. "Shit. Same." He sighed. "I guess we have to go back, then. Just keep your head up, okay? Stand tall. Look smug. That's the best advice I've got."

Castiel tilted his head slightly before he looked at Dean, trying to imitate him. He set his shoulders back and tilted his chin up a little, now making him a bit taller and was standing almost eye to eye with Dean. "Like this?" he asked, not really paying attention how close they were or that Dean's arm was still around him.

Dean licked his lips and grinned, looking Cas up and down, surprised at the difference such a little change made. "Yeah, just like that. You ready to go back and face them?" He asked, realizing that he should probably let his arm drop and step away, but not doing so just yet.

Castiel nodded, "You're here. I can do it." he replied with a small smile.

Dean grinned, surprised but definitely glad that Cas could trust him so much already. He vowed silently that he would do whatever he could to keep that trust. "Alright, Cas, let's go face the world."

Castiel smiled at him, feeling like he could. He followed Dean back to their class, standing in front of the door of the class. He looked at Dean before he made any movements. He felt nervous but it was smothered with the thought of Dean protecting him. His shoulders slumped a little and he glanced at his feet. He had noticed that Dean's arm was around him still at some point but didn't mention it. It was a nice feeling, it grounded him.

"Head up high." Dean reminded him one last time, arm leaving his shoulders only as he opened the door. He was tough, but he wasn't ready to open that can of worms by walking back into a class with his arm around Cas after just spending a good 15 minutes in the bathroom. A little too much, even for him.

Castiel put his head up and had his shoulders back, looking confident even though he definitely didn’t feel that way.. The teacher looked over as soon as they walked back in as well as the rest of the class. They stopped what they were doing to watch.

"Castiel. Are you okay now?" she asked.

Castiel nodded, "...I'm fine." he responded, his hand twitching to not fumble and pick at his shirt, wanting to look down.

The whole class looked at each other, wondering what happened and that Castiel spoke in front of someone else instead of Dean. Dean smirked, eyes roaming smugly over the other students. ' _ Hell yeah. Cas had this _ .' He had to admit, he felt a pang of pride at how well Cas held himself, especially after what a mess he'd been earlier.

The girls kept their mouth shut about making comments, but they looked over at Castiel. They took back what they thought about him being not attractive. Castiel looked at Dean before walking back to their desk. The teacher had said that they didn't need to worry about the experiment that she would wave it off for Castiel's first day.

Dean grinned once they got back to their table, patting Cas on the back. "There, you see? They already respect you more. I can feel it." He told him. "And we don't have to do the experiment. It's a win-win."

Castiel sighed a little in relief, smiling brightly at Dean. "Thanks to you." he added. His hands felt a little sweaty from having to have people openly look at him, he could still feel his heart racing.

Dean shrugged and smiled. "Nah, it was all you. I just told you how to do it." He replied, greatly appreciating the thanks.

"Even so, I still appreciate it." Castiel responded softly. He had picked up his bag and put it over his shoulder. Class was about to be over because they were late to begin with and missed some of it.

Dean pulled his bag on one shoulder, shrugging. "Don't mention it. And now I bet none of these suckers will mess with you." He said with a grin, waiting for the class to finish.

"I hope not, but even so, you would have my back." Castiel replied.

The other kids were putting things away and cleaning up. The teacher looked at the class once she thought it was good enough, "No homework and I'll see you two in detention." she said pointing to the other girls. Castiel smiled that they got in trouble.

"And everyone lived happily ever after." Dean smirked, glad at least this teacher understood what had happened and he hasn't even been called out for cussing- pretty awesome.

The class was soon let out and Castiel looked at Dean as he stood up, "You're not in my next class right?" he asked, now a little nervous he didn't have Dean with him after what happened.

"You'll be fine." He assured him as they left. "I'll still show you where it is. I don't mind being late, as you can already tell."

"You should be worried about being late, but I don't mind you spending time with me." Castiel responded, finding comfort with his presence. He quickly fixed his posture to what Dean told him, finding it very different when you can see people look at you head on and not say anything. He felt anxious about it, that they could see in his expression that he isn’t as confident as he tried to appear. 

"Nah, being late doesn't matter. It's not like I'd be doing much in the class anyway." He replied, strolling towards Cas's class. "So you're in a pretty tough math class- you're good with numbers?" He asked curiously, noting with a grin that Cas was still standing tall.

"I understand the concept, so I suppose you can say I am good with numbers." Castiel nodded, "It's a shame we're not in the same class." He said a little disappointed.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." Dean assured him, hoping it was true. "I don't have the skills for that kind of math, but I'm sure all the smart kids'll be nice to you, since you're smart too." Probably. He really had no idea, but it seemed like it would be like that. Well, hopefully.

"I don't know. I'm not very good with people." Castiel slumped his shoulders a little, fumbling with his fingers. He felt that nervousness creep back up.

"Hey. Don't worry about it." Dean replied, putting his hand on his back. "Keep your head up, don't let them see any doubt." He coached as they approached the door. "You can do it. You have a cell phone? You can text me if there's a problem, 'kay?"

Castiel nodded before reaching in his pocket for his phone. He handed it to Dean. "Do I only have to text you when I have a problem?" He asked.

Dean typed in his number, then glanced up at him. "Course not. You can text me whenever, about whatever." He shrugged, handing the phone back. He was slightly surprised that Cas would want to, but he was definitely glad he'd have a distraction in class.

Castiel smiled, "I'll keep that in mind. I'll text you if I find something interesting to show you." He said, taking his phone back.

Dean raised a brow. ' _ Something interesting to show me? Well okay _ .' 

"Go get 'em, Cas." He said with a grin, patting him again on the back and waiting for him to walk into the classroom before going to his own class.

Castiel glanced at him one last time, before he opened the door to his class with his posture back. It was a little hesitant but still mostly there.

Dean nodded to himself as Cas walked in before turning and meandering slowly to his class. He thought briefly about just skipping it, but remembered that Cas would text him if he saw something interesting; Whatever that meant, and it was enough to persuade him to walk in and sit down at his desk, not bothering to give the irritated teacher any explanation.

Castiel sat in the back corner, near the window. He felt like if Dean was here he would choose this seat. He sat down and took out his notebook. He glanced out the window to see the courtyard of the school, the football field, the track, the soccer nets, the tennis courts. It was a really big school. He didn't even bother to glance at the rest of the class to see if he wanted to make friends. He discretely took out his phone and sent a text message to Dean.

**Cas:** I think I'm in your signature seat.

Dean was partially asleep when his phone buzzed, but he certainly didn't mind being woken up. He grinned at the text figuring it was Cas and glad he didn't just wait for trouble.

**Dean:** Yeah? Back corner, perfect place to glare at the back of everyone's head and not be noticed by the teacher. Prime real estate.

Castiel chuckled a little to himself. He started texting back but before he sent it, he saw a little bird perch on the ledge.

**Cas:** Yes, it's very nice. I'm by the window and I can see the whole courtyard. There's a bird on the ledge next to me.

Dean grinned at the message. Such a random thing for him to say, but it suited him. It was endearing, in a weird way. Sure the kid was awkward, but Dean could hardly believe he hadn't had any friends before this.

**Dean:** I'm by a widow too, but all I can see is the parking lot. No birds on the ledge.

Castiel looked at the text message before back at the little bird. He leaned onto his desk and snapped a picture of it. He attached it to his text.

**Cas:** That's too bad. Are you sitting in the back corner as well?

Dean grinned at the picture, shaking his head slightly. The guy was sweet enough to give him a cavity- were people really that stuck up that no one had given him a chance? Granted he was a bit rough around the edges, he was still a good guy.

**Dean:** Yup, back corner. Just hidden enough so that the teacher doesn't usually notice me.

The girl right next to Castiel was staring him down, but he was too busy to notice. "Hey, what's your name?" she asked him in a flirty tone. Castiel tensed up a little. "Aw c'mon, don't be shy. You're really cute." she smiled. "Want to ditch this class and go somewhere?" she asked.

Castiel hunched into himself, not really knowing what to do in a situation like this. He started sending a text to Dean.

**Cas:** There's a girl next to me and I don't know what she-

He didn't get to finish it before the girl took his phone. "Hey I'm talking to you." she huffed. She looked at his phone, "Dean? As in Dean Winchester? The bad kid?" she looked incredulous.

Dean's smile slowly faded, tapping his pencil impatiently as he waited for Cas's reply. ' _ Did his teacher catch him texting? Was he back to paying attention? Maybe he realized what a waste of time it was to text him _ .' The tempo of his tapping pencil picked up, wondering what had happened.

"Why are you talking to him?" she asked. "Whatever, you shouldn't stick with him. He's such a bad kid, I heard rumors that he killed his mom." she told him, "He's failing through school, has no friends except his little brother, even his little brother has a better life than he does." she played with the phone a little. "Anyways." she turned back to Castiel, "Let's get out of here." she smiled.

Castiel snatched back his phone, shaking a little. "Don't...Don't say those things about Dean." he glared.

The girl was taken aback, "Why? They’re true. Why would I lie about the truth?" 

Castiel glared harder at her, "Y-you only know from rumors, you don't know anything. Don't spread lies about someone you don't know." he argued.

The girl looked at him with an annoyed look, "Look, I was just trying to be nice. You want to have friends? Stick with me and you'll get them." she said back to him.

Castiel shook his head, "I don't want to be friends with you if you are going to be mean to the one I already have." he said.

The girl let out a frustrated sound, "Whatever, Weirdo." she turned back to the teacher with an annoyed look, before she got up and moved away.

Castiel let out a breath of relief. He looked back at his phone and started sending another text to Dean.

**Cas:** I'm sorry I replied late, I had something I needed to do…

Dean frowned slightly at the message, not liking the sound of it.

**Dean:** Needed to do something? What does that mean?

Castiel found no reason to lie to Dean so he started explaining in shorter terms.

**Cas:** A girl next to me wanted me to leave class with her because she said I was attractive. I didn't want to go with her so I told her no, but she was so insistent and I was going to send a text to you, asking how do I deal with a situation like this but she took my phone. She started saying bad things about you once she found I was texting you but I defended you and she left.

Dean stared at the text for a moment, surprised. He replied, feeling a sense of warmth at the fact that in such a short time Cas had found the pluck to defend him, when earlier he had been shaking from only answering a problem on the board.

**Dean:** Thanks for defending me, Cas. That really means a lot.

Castiel smiled at his phone, not feeling as nervous than he did a few moments ago. He was happy that Dean appreciated him defending him. He didn't know how he had done it, but he had and he didn't regret it.

**Cas:** You would do so for me, so I can only try and do the same for you. I was nervous but I couldn't let her just say things.

Dean grinned to himself, proud that Cas had tried even though he was nervous about it. He would do the same for him and he was glad that Cas knew that. Granted he did do so earlier, and he’d do it again if it happened.

**Dean:** Thanks. And you're right, I would. Congrats. I'm proud of you Blue.

Castiel smiled, kind of liking the little names that Dean has given him. It was a little odd since everyone has called him Castiel, if not a bad name, but this one was a nice one. A nickname. He still was unsure on why Dean stuck around him and was being so kind, but he enjoyed the time he had.

**Cas:** Thank you Dean. Once this class ends, how do I find the cafeteria?

Dean frowned slightly, not liking the idea of Cas finding the cafeteria by himself. Not that he much of a choice.

**Dean:** Walk straight across that courtyard that you see out the window, and you'll see it right through the doors. I'll meet you there.

Castiel nodded to himself, glancing out the window to see where Dean was talking about, he hoped he wouldn't get lost. He sent Dean a reply, as he gathered his stuff to leave.

**Cas:** Okay, I'll see you then.

Dean glanced at the text, really hoping he didn't get lost or meet any more trouble. He'd done okay with the one girl, apparently, but he knew it could get rougher. He slung his backpack onto his shoulder and was the first out the door once class was over, determined to be there waiting for Cas when he arrived.

Castiel put his bag over his shoulder and was getting up to go before the girl came back in tears with two other guys behind her. "He's the one who made fun of me." she wept.

Castiel looked at her confused, "But I...but I didn't." he said.

One of the guys shoved him in the shoulder, "Do you think it's okay to pick on girls?" he asked.

Castiel shook his head frantically. “No I...I don’t.”

"Can't have you doing this again, you're coming with us." the other guy grabbed Castiel's arm and dragged him out with the rest of them.

Dean checked his phone for the third time since arriving at the cafeteria. No texts. So where was Cas? ' _ He'd have texted if he'd gotten lost, right? _ ' Dean frowned, an uneasy feeling growing in his stomach. He left the cafeteria and went up to Cas's last class, trying to find where he could have gone or what could have happened to him.

A student who was cleaning the class looked up at Dean coming in, "No one usually comes in here. Are you looking for someone?"

Dean glanced at his phone before sighing inwardly. "Yeah, Castiel, the new kid. Know where he went?" Dean asked, now definitely worried.

"The one who sat in the back? Yeah, uh he left not that long ago with three other students. A female and two other males, the girl was crying for some reason. They left with him to the courtyard I think. I don’t know." she said, shrugging because she didn’t really care.

Dean frowned, turning and jogging away without another word to the student. He hurried to the courtyard, glancing around desperately for Cas.

The other kids had dragged him near a tree, away from peeping eyes. The slightly bigger one shoved Castiel against the tree roughly. Castiel held onto his bag in front of him, shaking in fear. The skinnier boy grabbed Castiel's hair, pulling it back a bit.

"You picked on our friend and made her cry, now you're going to pay for it." he threatened.

Castiel’s eyes widening at the threat. He was going to call out for help but the bigger kid hit him in the stomach.

"Can't call your ‘friend’. He won't find you. He probably doesn't even care." he told him.

Castiel nearly doubled over but the grip in his hair kept him up. He kept his grip on his bag, trying for any sort of protection. He closed his eyes, hoping this would be over quickly. 

Dean scanned the courtyard quickly, trying to find any sign of Cas. The girl had said two guys and a girl... His eyes suddenly locked on the large tree at the corner of the courtyard, noticing two guys standing close to it. His eyes narrowed as he walked briskly over, not completely sure if that was right but definitely going to find out.

The bigger guy arched an eyebrow, "Closing your eyes? Might as well keep them shut." he said, punching Castiel across the face. Castiel yelped in pain, keeping his eyes shut tight. The scrawny boy kept his grip in Castiel's hair to make sure he didn't fall. He kicked him in the side, making Castiel's knees buckle from under him. The girl just watched casually from the side, watching as her friends beat up Castiel for embarrassing her.

Dean saw the girl and both guys as he got closer, picking up his pace until he saw Cas, pressed up against the tree, eyes screwed shut. "Hey!" He shouted as he got close. "Back the hell off!" He demanded, grabbing one of them by the shoulder and wrenching him around to face him, just in time for Dean's right hook to make contact with his jaw.

Castiel's eyes shot open, the scrawny one let go of Castiel letting him fall to the ground. "D-Dean?" Castiel sputtered.

The scrawny kid looked between the two, "Shit, Dean Winchester is your friend?! Fuck this shit, I'm outta here." he said, going to run off. The girl had ran off as soon as she saw Dean approaching.

Dean shook out his right hand, grabbing the kid he'd punched by the collar, pushing him in the direction his friend had gone. "Get lost, shitbag, and don't let me catch you messing with my friend again. Got it?" He growled.

The kid nodded and scrambled after his friend. Castiel slowly got up from the ground, wincing a little from the pain. He watched as Dean save him, feeling relieved.

Dean glared at his retreating figure before turning quickly to Cas, concern clearly etched on his face. "Hey, you okay?" He asked, putting a hand gently in his shoulder to help him stand.

Castiel nodded, "Thank you for saving me Dean. I'm…I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to text you." He said. He was shaking a bit but having Dean next to him helped. He wasn’t a type for violence, he was too tired for that...to have to fight every time when most of the time it was usually more than one person. He gave up on trying to defend himself.

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault." Dean replied with a slight frown. "It's not your fault at all." He dusted Cas off where he had dirt from the tree and ground. "You defended my honor with that chick, so I returned the favor." He said with a smile, hoping to lighten him up a little.

Castiel gave him a small smile before he looked sad again. "I...I don't understand. Why does this happen? She said I lied and her friends came and beat me. I didn't lie to her, so why would she lie?"

Dean sighed, wishing he had an answer. "I don't know, Cas. She was probably angry that you turned her down. But it's not your fault- they're jerks." He replied.

Castiel nodded at him, he fumbled with his fingers for a second. "We're not going to make it to lunch are we? I'm sorry." He glanced at Dean.

Dean shrugged. "It's okay, I wasn't that hungry anyway. Were you going to buy your lunch?" He asked, knowing that they wouldn't have time to make it through the lunch line at this point.

Castiel shook his head, "I normally make mine." He said. He opened his bag and pulled out a container. "We can share. I'm not really that hungry, but I don't really want this to go to waste." He said, glancing at Dean.

"Thanks." Dean replied, actually much hungrier than he'd admitted. He always had to buy lunch, the discounted kind, and he was glad he wouldn't have to go completely without. "So what do you have?" He asked with a grin, rubbing his hands together. "We can just sit here, if you want."

Castiel nodded, slowly sitting down. There was a bruise forming on his cheek but he didn't pay mind to it. He set his bag aside and opened the container. It was a little messy but still presentable.

"I made chicken pasta with vegetables. There's bread on the side and some fruit." He explained. "Oh and I made a brownie." He said taking it out of his bag. "I didn't want it to get mashed together." He said. He glanced at Dean, "It's not really that much and probably not that good but you're welcome to have some." He offered.

"You made all this?" Dean asked, impressed. "It looks delicious." He assured him, looking hungrily at the food. "I don't want to steal your lunch, but I'll definitely eat whatever you don't."

"Really?" Castiel brightened up. "You can eat most of it, I just want the fruit and probably half the brownie." He said. He opened his bag and got a fork for Dean. "Here." He smiled a little.

Dean grinned. "Yeah, you can definitely have the fruit." He chuckled, not eating any of it anyways. He took the fork, digging in eagerly. "Aw, man," he said through a mouth full of food, "This is delicious. Helluva lot better than cafeteria slop."

"Really?" Castiel responded. "I cook a lot at home when I have free time so it's a hobby to try to cook new foods. Do you normally eat in the cafeteria?" He asked.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" Dean laughed between bites of food. "Yeah, I do. And man, if school lunches tasted this good, I'd actually look forward to lunch."

Castiel looked down at his hands, "Well... if you want...I could make lunches for us." He said shyly.

Dean paused in wolfing down the food, swallowing. "Really? You'd do that? Dude that would be awesome." He replied, trying to figure out how serious Cas was. "I haven't had a homemade lunch in... A while." He chuckled, turning back to the food eagerly.

"Then I can make them as long as we can eat together. If you don't mind...I kind of don't want to eat in the cafeteria."

"Nah, I don't mind at all. The cafeteria's loud and annoying anyway. You wanna eat here every day?" Dean asked, gesturing to the tree they were sitting beneath.

"That would be nice. I would want to." Castiel smiled. He ripped the brownie in half and was picking at it slowly. His cheek hurt but it wasn't that bad. "You were really cool earlier. I wish I could've done that." He commented, looking at his lap. It wasn’t as if Castiel wasn’t ‘fit’, he just wasn’t sure on how to fight or block.

Dean had finished the chicken and got his half of the brownie, wasting no time with it. "Thanks. I've gotten pretty good at throwing my weight around. I've always been a pretty good fighter." He chuckled.

Castiel sighed, "I wish I was. It would be easier for me to defend myself." He said. He glanced at Dean, "I'm assuming you really like it." He reached into his bag and pulled out a napkin. "Here."

Dean grinned, taking the napkin and wiping off his mouth and hands. "Yeah, honestly, I love when asses give me a reason to sock them." He replied.

"If that's another way to say hit them, then yes, I can see that." Castiel tipped his head to the side a little. "I should learn how to defend myself though, then I could avoid these situations or at least try." He said.

"I can teach you a few things, like how to block a hit, get out of some holds, and throw a good punch." Dean offered. "The rest just comes from experience, really." He said, thinking he'd feel better if Cas knew a couple of moves.

"Okay, that would be great." Castiel smiled at him. He had taken the container back from Dean and put it back in his bag. "I'll make you something tomorrow, anything that you would like?" He asked, having hints of excitement.

"Hey, you can make whatever you want and I'll eat it happily." Dean replied, briefly considering asking for pie but realizing that was a lot of work for one lunch.

"You sure? You don't have any favorite foods? I actually have cooking class next period so if I ever did get hungry, I could snack on something." Castiel looked at Dean.

' _ Cooking class? Well, in that case... _ ' 

"Pie is the best thing that exists, but you don't have to make one just for me." 

‘ _ Though that would rock _ .’ he added silently. "But really, I'll eat just about anything. The less healthy the better." He grinned.

Castiel smiled, "Okay. I'll make that for you. And you need to eat something healthy, not just grease." He said, looking at Dean.

Dean gave an exaggerated sigh. "But healthy stuff is gross. Besides, it's usually more expensive. And grease tastes good." He said with a smirk.

"Home cooked foods are less expensive, comes in larger amounts, and is healthier." Castiel told him. "You ate the pasta. That was healthy." He said. "And I'm not saying grease isn't good but a lot of it isn't healthy. I would not be able to live if I just ate healthy food all the time. I like eating hamburgers and other things too."

"Well if you make me semi-healthy lunches every day, I'll buy you a burger some time. Sound good?" Dean offered, not particularly wanting to continue on the subject of his eating habits. He'd eaten junk his whole life.

"Okay." Castiel agreed. "We should start to get our stuff. I would assume lunch is going to be over soon." He said. "Should we ever plan these days where I would tutor you?" He asked.

Dean glanced around. "Yeah, lunch'll be over soon. How about... I don't know, we can talk about it tomorrow and figure it out from there?" He replied.

"Sounds fine to me." Castiel replied. He shouldered his bag, wincing a little at the soreness. He could feel the bruises that formed on his skin. "Are you going to help me find my next class?" He asked, slowly getting up.

"Yeah, of course. What's the room number again? I don't know where the cooking class is off the top of my head." Dean replied as he stood, frowning slightly as Cas winced. "Hey, do you want me to take your bag? Mine's practically empty and you must've been hit pretty hard."

"No it's fine. I don't want to trouble you any more than I need to." Castiel replied. "I think it's room 305." he added.

Dean rolled his eyes. "It's not a ‘trouble’. But if you don't want me to, that's fine. I know where 305 is, so I'll show you the way." he told him, frowning slightly on the bruise forming on Cas’s face. "You gonna tell your parents what really happened to your face?" He asked, beginning to lead the way to the class.

Castiel looked away, "I...they don't really care what happens to me in school." he said softly. He touched his cheek, "Is it that noticeable?" he asked.

Dean winced internally, wishing he hadn't brought up family. He of all people should know better. "Nah, it's not that bad. And if anyone asks you can say you beat someone up." He joked, hoping to get Cas's mind off his parents. He didn't like he's seeing him so unhappy.

Castiel laughed a little. "I think everyone would know that is a lie, but if that was to be true. My brother would throw a party in rejoice." he said.

Dean laughed, wondering where Cas got such weird word combinations. ' _ Maybe that's a writer thing..' _ He thought. "Well, if anyone asks, just tell them; "you should see the other guy," and leave them to wonder."

"Oh, I see what you mean. Clever." Castiel smiled. "I think no one will ask me about the bruise until I get home, though there will probably be rumors everywhere, seeing the type of impact and chaos I had on the first day." he sighed.

Dean waved it off. "Screw them. Let them say what they want- who needs 'em? We know what happened and those guys won't be bothering you any time soon." He shrugged. "'Sides, I bet at least some of the rumors will be that you're a badass." He said with his crooked grin.

"You have such a strong and carefree attitude. I admire that. You seem to find the good in my situations." Castiel said to him. They were walking the halls that weren't really filled since people have yet to be let out of lunch yet.

Dean shrugged. "I'm good at making the best out of bad situations. I've gotten pretty good at it, since I used to do it all the time for my brother." He trailed off, not sure if he wanted to go down this road just yet.

Castiel looked at him a little curiously, "Your brother, is he younger than you?" he asked.

"Younger, yeah. He's a freshman this year actually, but I don't normally see him around school." Dean replied. "I think he's happy though. He has friends, gets good grades, all that." He hoped he was happy, anyway.

"I had a feeling he was younger. You have a very caring nature. It must be nice to have a younger sibling. I'm the youngest." Castiel sighed.

"Well, I want to protect Sam from everything, which annoys the hell out of him. But I like havin' him around-- I dunno what I'd do without him." Dean replied as they walked, realizing that he hadn't talked about Sam to another soul at school before.

Castiel smiled, "You look happy and very proud when you about talk to him. He must really admire you. You seem like you really care for him." He said.

"I do care about him, a lot. I don't know if he really admires me, though. Like I said, I think he gets pretty annoyed with me. I've spent pretty much my whole life making sure he didn't know how much I had to do for him, 'cause I think it'll make him happier in the long run." He replied, realizing he'd said a lot just then, but trusting Cas regardless. Something about him made him feel like it was okay to be honest and he wouldn’t tell others.

Castiel hummed softly, "He knows. Maybe not to the full extent of what you do, but he knows that you do things for him and I'm sure he appreciates it." he smiled a little. "He probably does admire you. You might not know it since he hasn't said it, but he does." he looked at Dean sincerely and smiled.

Dean met his look dubiously before cracking a smile. "You're really something, Cas. I don't know how you've made it through the world being as nice and good as you are, but I'm glad." Mostly considering how he responded to the bullying, he would guess Cas would be a lot more jaded. Even he was sure that he was.

Castiel smiled a little, "Thank you Dean." he replied. No one had ever said that to him and it felt nice to hear it from Dean.

"No problem, Cas. And I think that's a good place to end our touchy-feely session." Dean joked, trying to get back to the lighthearted stuff. He could only handle so much of the talking about your feelings crap in one day.

Castiel tipped his head at Dean, "But I didn't touch you." he said, confused.

Dean blinked at him, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh Cas. Don't ever change." He said, patting his shoulder and chuckling.

Castiel looked at him even more confused, "Thank you? I thought you said we were done touching?" He asked. "I'm confused."

"Don't worry about it." Dean replied, sliding his hand off after realizing that he actually was being physically touchy. Weird. He wasn't like that with anyone else besides Sam.

Castiel looked at Dean confused still but nodded. He felt Dean's hand slide off, kind of missing the warmth. "I hope I remember my way around when you can't show me." he said.

Dean shrugged. "Well, I can show you around for as long as you need me to. Really, I don't mind." He replied. "So don't worry about getting lost."

"But then you're always going to be late for class." Castiel told him. "It would be nice of you to show me but I don't want you always being late to class because of me." he said.

Dean shrugged. "We only have like three classes not together. How about I show you around one more time tomorrow, make sure you've got the hang of it?" He offered. "I'd rather take a couple tardies than have you lost and wandering around the school." He joked.

"Okay, that would be nice." Castiel nodded. "And if I did get lost, I would contact you. You happened to find me without the contact so I hope you'll find it easier to find me when I do." he added.

"Yeah, that'd be nice." Dean replied as they approached the door. "But hopefully you won't need to text me. I'd rather get a picture of a bird than one saying you're lost." He laughed. "So make something good in there, m'kay?"

Castiel nodded, "I'll bring you back something if we do." he said. "So, you did like my picture of the bird? It was just sitting there so I thought I should show you." he added.

"The picture was very…you. I can't think of anyone else who would do that, and yeah, I liked it." Dean replied, which was the complete truth. In less than a day that they'd known each other, Dean felt like he'd really gotten to know Cas, like they'd met before or something.

Castiel grinned, his blue eyes lighting up. "It was interesting and I had to show you." he said. The other kids were moving into class so Castiel glanced at the room then back to Dean, "You should get to class, you shouldn't be late." he told Dean. "I'll try to find my next class without you, I will text you if I get lost." he added.

Dean nodded, though it worried him. "Okay, and text me when you make it to your class too, just in case." He replied, waving slightly as he took a step backwards before turning and heading to his own wood shop elective.

Castiel waved a little in return before walking into the classroom. He chose an empty section and sat down. The class slowly filled itself. There weren't many students, not that Castiel minded. He just kept quiet, wondering if anyone was going to try to talk to him.

Dean walked to his class, managing to not be late, hoping Cas wasn't getting stared down. The bruise on his face wasn't too obvious, but it was definitely there. 

Castiel touched his cheek, feeling the bruise. He sighed softly before he touched his side and stomach feeling a stinging pain. The class sat kind of away from Castiel, murmuring to themselves. He caught whispered words like fight, thug, cheater, run away. The class was going to learn how to make sweets today, they're making Apple cinnamon cake.

One girl scooted back her chair, closer to Cas and away from her group of gossiping friends. "Hey, what happened to your face?" She asked nicely enough, though blunt. "We're all kind of wondering." She gestures to her group of friends, who were failing at their attempts to not stare obviously at him.

Castiel stared at them for a moment, he tried to think of what Dean said. He replied, "I got into a fight." He told the truth but not everything.

"A fight on your first day?" She asked with an arched brow. She glanced back at her friends before turning back to Castiel. "What did you do to get into a fight already?"

Castiel bit the inside of his cheek, "We had a disagreement." He said quickly. He felt proud of himself for being able to talk to other people and keeping the situation vague.

"A disagreement?" She asked, interest perking. "Over what? A girl? Someone insult you?" She prodded.

Castiel shied away a little at her sudden forward interrogation. He gulped a little before he replied, "They insulted my friend." He said, wondering why she kept asking questions.

"So you fought them?" She asked, looking impressed. "Huh. We assumed someone wanted your lunch money or something." She said, thinking he looked pretty nervous for someone who would start a fight.

Castiel squared his shoulders back and tilted his head up, remembering what Dean said about confidence. "They spoke rudely, I only did what I felt was right." He replied.

The girl shrugged. "Huh. That's pretty cool." She replied, her group of friends still watching.

One of the girls from the group finally spoke. "I heard your friend is Dean Winchester. It's that true?" She asked.

Castiel nodded, "Yes that's true." He replied.

"Why?" She asked.

Castiel looked at her, "Because he's nice to me." He said simply.

"Nice?" She looked at her friends.

They murmured a little before another spoke up, "Are you gay?" She asked.

Castiel felt a blush rise up and paused to reply. The teacher finally started giving them instructions to start and that they should be able to pick their food up at the end of the day.

The girl smirked at Cas not answering, thinking that was answer enough. She turned back to her group. Dean, meanwhile, worked distractedly, hoping that Cas was doing alright and that he'd be able to find his next class.

Some kid in his class glanced at Dean before he hurriedly turned off a machine Dean was using. "Dude! Pay attention! You're going to lose a finger or something if you don't." He scolded.

Dean blinked out of his trance, looking down at the saw and wincing slightly at how close his hand had been. "Sorry, sorry. Just a little distracted. Thanks though." He replied, glancing up at him. "I think I'll hold off on the power tools today."

"Yeah that seems like a good idea." he nodded at him. "You're normally dead focused on these things and seem unapproachable but you look a little out of it." He commented.

"Yeah, just distracted." Dean ran a hand through his hair, debating on how much he should tell him. He'd always pegged this as a pretty decent guy, if pretty nerdy. "Worried about a friend of mine. It's his first day, I'm afraid he'll get lost." He sighed.

"Oh the new kid? Heard some hardcore rumors about him."

Dean arched a brow curiously. "Like what?" He asked, ready to jump to Cas's defense if he needed it.

"Heard he got into a fight, beat some kid up. Apparently he's supposed to be like this tough guy, but I've seen the guy walking with someone, you ,I presume since you said you were his friend, and he looks like a guy who would sit and just watch animals. I don't really follow rumors since most of the time they just sound like bullshit." He shrugged as he replied, before he looked back down at his work and sanded something down.

Dean smirked to himself while the other guy wasn't looking. ' _ So the word was that Cas had beat someone up? Nice. It probably wouldn't last long—but he’s  right, just by looking at the guy you could tell he wasn't much of a fighter, but hopefully it would be enough to protect him for a while. _ '

"Yeah, they're usually bullshit." He agreed.

The kid looked up at him, "So you're worried he's going to get lost? I'm sure he can find his way, he could always ask someone to take him to his next class or just for directions." he reminded. "He'll be fine." he said, not really knowing much about Castiel.

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll be good." Dean replied, slightly reassured. "He can figure it out, no problem." He paused, fiddling with the wood he'd been cutting earlier. "Thanks man,” he eyed the shorter boy before pointing the wood piece at him. “It's Kevin, right?"

Kevin looked back up from his work, "Yeah. Kevin Tran and you're Dean Winchester. You're a big name around here apparently. Nice to meet you formally though." he said.

"Nice to meet you too." Dean replied, feeling a bristle of pride about being deemed a big name, even if it was backed by a less than stellar reputation.

"Yeah, well, don't deal with machinery if you're going to space out, I don't handle blood well." Kevin shuddered. "Though it is a bit weird to worry so much about someone getting lost, guess you must be a good guy."

"Like you said, most rumors are bullshit. Some are true," Dean admitted, "But most aren't." He'd heard enough about himself to know that almost all of them were completely made up or way over exaggerated. "And I won't cut off my hand, don't worry." He replied with a half smile.

"Yeah, don't know about that. You were really spaced out." Kevin looked over at him with a certain face. "But I'll take your word for it. So if you do, don't say I didn't tell you so." he shrugged.

Dean frowned slightly, internally deciding that he wouldn't space out like that again. Cas would be fine and it wasn't worth cutting off a finger to worry. He glanced up at the clock, now impatient to move on.

Castiel had finished making his dessert and was now just waiting for the class to be over. The teacher had told them that they needed a little longer to cook so they could come back when they were done. He gathered his stuff and waited. He wondered if he was going to find his next class okay, it was room 109. Completely opposite ends with the one he was in. He didn't know what electives to take so he asked his sister to sign him up for any class, she chose art. He wondered if he should text Dean, but he'd figure he'd be okay. He couldn’t rely on the other too much, he’d be called annoying and troublesome and he didn’t want that. He didn’t want to be a burden.

Dean shrugged on his backpack, not really looking forward to health. Once again, he regretted waiting until senior year to take the required class. Whatever, at least he didn't have to even pretend to listen. It'd be plenty easy to text Cas and make sure he got to his next class, he figured as class ended and he joined the swarm in the hallway.

Castiel got up and left the class. He figured it would be a good idea to just follow the numbers. He walked in the hall, glancing at the door numbers. The other kids around him were murmuring as they saw him, he tried not to pay attention and keeping his posture right, even with the queasy feeling in his stomach at being stared at. He got into a hallway that split up into 3 different pathways and he didn't really know where to go at this point because down the halls were strips of lockers as far as he could see. He bit his tongue and hoped that he would get it right, he went to the hallway on the right.

Dean snaked through the crowd, wishing there were half the number of people. He sighed as he made it to his room, glancing down at his phone. No messages. That's alright, Dean was fairly early- Cas could still be making his way, no problem.

Castiel glanced at the door numbers once he made it past most of the people and lockers. 265. He glanced around, thinking that he should go back. He saw a staircase nearby, he wondered if it was because he was a floor up that he hadn't been in the hundreds. He proceeds down the stairs, hoping to find his class. He walked down the stairs, only to be slowed by more students and lockers. He found the first class and it had the number 010. He bit his lip, maybe he should text Dean, but he didn't want to trouble him anymore. He was determined to find his class. He had to.

Dean sat at his desk, his finger tapping beside his phone. He still had a few minutes, he could make it... Dean let out a frustrated sigh, snatching up his phone impatiently.

**Dean:** Find your class okay?

Castiel had wandered in the halls, finding it cleared up some more since his detour. He had somehow ended back up in the 200's. He felt his phone vibrate and he looked to see Dean's text. He bit his lip, should he bother Dean again and say he's lost or should he keep trying? He didn't want Dean to have to leave his class because he couldn't find his, but he didn't want to lie. He looked at the text before he replied.

**Cas:** I'm having some trouble, but I'll find it.

Dean frowned, glancing at the clock. He got up suddenly, sneaking his way by the teacher and stood just to the side of the doorway.

**Dean:** Okay, but just let me know if you need help. I really don't mind.

He sent, figuring that this way if Cas found his room he could just slip back into his class a few minutes late or go to find him without needing an explanation.

Castiel looked at his phone again, now seeing even less people. He gripped his bag, /if/ Dean didn't mind would it be okay? He sighed to himself. He really needed help right now. He had no idea where he was now. He texted Dean back.

**Cas:** I'm lost, please come help me.

Dean hadn't finished reading the text before he was walking briskly down the hallway, typing out a reply one handed.

**Dean:** Where are you now? See any room numbers?

Castiel looked around him, before he sent his reply, standing still where he was.

**Cas:** I'm near the room 245.

**Dean:** Coming.

Dean sent, already jogging in the section he knew Cas was in. It was a ways away from his room, so he quickened his step slightly until he saw Cas's form come into view. He broke into a walk, coming up beside him and thankfully not breathing especially hard.

Castiel turned to see Dean coming, surprised. "Dean. You came really quick, was your class close by?" he asked. He felt like Dean flew to his rescue and the thought made him want to laugh a little.

"Uh... It wasn't far." Dean replied, figuring it was only a little lie. "So you're a little lost, huh? No problem. I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't looking forward to health at all." He said with a grin.

Castiel looked at Dean peculiarly when he said it wasn't far, it didn't sound right, but he didn't make a comment. He looked at Dean, letting out a sigh. "I was more than a little lost, I do not know how I went from 305, to 265, to 010, to here and not have found the hundreds." he said.

"Wow, I'm not entirely sure how you managed that either." Dean replied with a laugh. "But whatever, I'll get you back on track." He told Cas, starting to walk in the opposite direction he'd come from. "Honestly this school is too big for its own good."

Castiel quickly caught up to Dean in step, "It is very big. Does the school even use all these classrooms?" he asked. He felt better that Dean was there to help him, but he also felt a bit bad that he had asked Dean to help and hindering him even more.

Dean shrugged, veering off to the side to look in the window on the door of a classroom. "Well, no one's in there now, but I have no idea if it never gets used or if it's just empty this period."

"Maybe it is just empty this period. I don't believe there are enough teachers nor students to fill every class." Castiel replied. He peered into the class, thinking that his old school was really small in comparison in this school. He kind of wished there were empty classes back then, so he could hide in one of them. He stepped away from the class, waiting for Dean to lead again.

Dean turned on his heel and started walking again. "Seems like a good place to hide out sometime." He told Cas with a grin. "Not that I would cut class." He laughed.

Castiel smiled a little, "Yes it would seem like a good place to hide out." he said. "Maybe we should cut classes since I'm mostly late now." he joked. He had found the cooking class again while he was walking so he got the cake he made, but he kept it in his bag. He was going to give it to Dean since he had said that he would give him something if he cooked.

"Hey, I'm all for cutting classes. I mean, what's missing one class every now and then gonna do?" He said with a smile directed at Cas. "Besides, health and art? Least important classes ever."

"Why do I feel like you cut class more than every now and then?" Castiel chuckled a little. "I suppose they aren't really relevant, I didn't even choose my elective." he said.

"Exactly, so what's the point in going?" Dean asked, holding his hands up. "I skip class pretty much as often as I can without truancy cops being up my ass." He said. "I mean, what do they even teach in health besides; ‘drugs are bad,’ and ‘don't have sex’?" He rolled his eyes.

"They teach you how to have a healthier diet, how to take care of your body, what could go wrong and how to catch it beforehand, diseases, sicknesses, how to expect change in your body, sex, it teaches you a lot of things." Castiel looked at Dean and tilted his head. "Though you would know that if you attended the class." he said. "It's not bad to skip classes once in a while if you feel stressed but not all the time, then you won't progress." he told him.

"Okay, okay, I don't need a lesson on the importance of school." Dean replied, rubbing a hand down his face. "I don't skip that much, anyway." He mumbled, wondering how this had gone from a rescue mission to a lecture; one he'd heard from plenty of teachers before.

Castiel sighed softly, "Okay if you say so." he saw the annoyance on Dean's face so he brought his bag around. "I'm sorry I called you out and lectured you a little but to make it up to you...here." he handed Dean a piece of cake in a little plastic baggie. "I made it in cooking class and I said I would make you something." he said, holding it out.

Dean blinked, taking the baggie as if it might melt. "You really got me a piece? Wow, I thought you were just saying that." He said with a slight laugh. "Thanks, Cas. And you don't have to apologize, I know you're right." He replied with a shrug. "I just don't want to admit it."

Castiel tipped his head to the side, "Even then, I still want to say thank you for helping me through today." he smiled. He was about to put the bag back over his shoulder but he remembered something, "Oh, I made one extra." he handed the baggie to Dean. "It's for your brother." he said.

Dean stared at him for a moment before taking the second baggie. "Damn, Cas, I don't know what to say. Thanks, really. Sam's gonna love this, I'm sure." He said, looking at the two pieces of cake he held. He knew it probably wasn't a huge deal to Cas, but it was probably the nicest thing anyone had done for him in a long while.

Castiel smiled, "Well I hope you both enjoy it." he said, putting the bag over his shoulder. He tipped his head to the side a little, "Do you think we should actually go sit somewhere or will eventually find us?" 

"Oh, you're right. Want to go in an empty room?" He suggested, nodding to the ones around them as he carefully opened his bag and placed the cake safely on top.

Castiel nodded, "What if they are locked?" he asked. "Then what would we do?"

Dean shrugged. "Well, I guess we can try, and if it's locked we can keep walking or something. Hide out in the bathroom if we really have to." He replied as he walked over to one of the empty rooms to test the knob.

The class was locked, as figured. Castiel sighed a little, "Well we could keep walking. If we really needed to hide from the patrol teachers then we could just hide in a bathroom or one of those closets or janitor's room since they're everywhere." He said. He pulled his bag up a little higher, waiting for Dean.

"Sounds good." Dean replied, walking back to join Cas. He grinned suddenly. "So I must be a bad influence on you,huh? First day and you've already gotten in a fight and you're willing to hide in a closet to skip class." He laughed, ambling beside him.

Castiel laughed a little, before he looked down at his feet. "I've had days worse than this..." He said softly. He glanced back at Dean, "I've had a good day overall though, so I don't mind if you think you're a bad influence." He said.

"I've had a good day too. I guess you're a good influence, though." He replied with a smile. "And I'm glad you're here. I mean, I'm glad it's better here, y'know?"

Castiel smiled, "Me too." He said. "You've made it better so thank you." He said. "I think I could enjoy school if we are going to be friends." He added.

"Well we are going to be friends." Dean said with a certain determination. "I mean, I beat a guy up, you made me cake- that's the best friendship I've ever had." He replied with a grin. In reality, it was one of very few friendships he'd had outside of family friends, but that didn't really matter.

Castiel's eyes lit up, looking up at Dean happily. "Really?" He smiled. "It's likewise for me too." He said.

Castiel hadn't had anyone outside his family to talk to in a while. The people who tried to talk to him, that weren't bullying him, didn't talk to him for long because they got bullied too. So Castiel kept his mouth shut, but he saw that Dean could hold his own. He didn't have to worry /as much/ about him getting hurt.

"Looks like it's you and me against the world, Blue Eyes." Dean grinned, gesturing broadly in front of them. "You seem like a good guy to have on my team." He was uncharacteristically happy to have someone he could trust, someone who seemed to genuinely care.

Castiel laughed a little, "Sounds like we're going on an adventure to save the world." He commented. They were walking in halls aimlessly, just talking and goofing off. "We have gym last don't we?" He asked.

"Yeah we do." Dean replied. "We can team up. And maybe we'll get to play dodgeball- the only time you're actually allowed to peg someone with a ball." He joked.

"I never got a chance to ever play, I was always out first." Castiel sighed. "But if I don't, I would do my best to keep up with you." He said.

"Just stay behind me. I'm a pretty good human shield." Dean joked. "Gotta grab a ball and use it for protection. Once the whistle blows, it's a war zone." He laughed. "But we might not be playing. I dunno." He shrugged.

"I don't know, but if we do. I would know what to do then." Said Castiel. They walked a few more steps before Castiel pulled Dean to the side all of a sudden, pressing against him. "Shh... I think I heard a patrol teacher." He said quietly.

Dean's eyes widened, caught off guard by their sudden proximity. ' _ Damn his eyes were blue... _ ' He swallowed, shaking himself internally and decidedly did not thinking about how nice the pressure felt between them.

"A what? Oh, right." He whispered, forcing his focus on their situation.

Castiel waited for a second before he glanced out, seeing no one. He looked back at Dean, not moving yet. He was caught in by Dean's gaze. He hadn't noticed how green Dean's eyes were or how many freckles were splattered across his cheeks. He wanted to reach out and touch them but he slowly pulled away, feeling his heart rate picking up.

"They're gone." He said.

Dean blanked for a moment, only aware of the loss of Cas, before clearing his throat and refocusing again. "Oh, good, yeah. Glad we didn't get caught." He said, confused by his own reaction. He rarely felt that way around girls and definitely never with another guy.

Castiel swallowed a little, tipping his head to the side, confused on what he was feeling. "Yes that's true. I'm sorry at the sudden movement." He said. He'd figured that it was because he was nervous on getting caught.

"No, no," Dean replied a little too quickly. "I mean, it's okay, you didn't want to get caught. It's cool." He added, glancing at the floor and running a hand over his hair. ' _ Shit, what's wrong with me? _ ' He tried to shake it off for Cas's benefit, noticing his usual confused look. Probably trying to figure out his awkward reaction.

Castiel didn't think much of Dean's reaction, he felt nervous for some reason so he thought they were just reacting differently. He straightened himself back up, stepping back a little to give Dean more room, "Should we head to gym?" He asked, glancing over.

"Right, yeah." Dean replied, determined to put the awkwardness behind him. "Well, I'm glad we didn't get caught." He said as he began to walk again.

Castiel followed in step next to him. This time more aware of Dean's presence. He glanced at Dean, seeing that he was fine, so he was just overreacting. "I'm glad we didn't either, we would have gotten into more trouble. They would question about the bruise and the rumors and everything. I think I would have a bad first impression on the school overall." he said.

Dean waved it off. "Who cares what they think? Most of these people hate everyone else, anyway. You just happen to be new, too." He replied with a shrug, keeping his eyes forward as they walked. "But at least this way the teachers and stuff won't think of you as a bad kid."

Castiel fiddled with his fingers, nodding. "You're right." he replied. He didn't exactly know what to say so he kept quiet.

Dean glanced at him as they neared the gym. "Well, anyway, we're here now. Oh, shit, I should've actually showed you where your class was." He realized suddenly, knowing it was too late now.

Castiel looked at him, "We always have tomorrow. You said that you would help me find my classes until we were sure I wouldn't get lost." He told him.

"Right, okay. Yeah, I'm definitely not letting you get lost again, don't worry." Dean replied, not wanting to see Cas wandering, alone, down the halls again.

Castiel smiled a little, "Is this a coed gym period? Do we have the same teacher?" He asked. He felt better that Dean didn't seem so tense anymore.

"They're all together I think. It'll be interesting, actually having someone I want on my team." He chuckled. He was pretty athletic, but had never been much of a team player before.

"I hope I won't bring you down if we are." Castiel replied. "Class should be done soon, we should go to the locker rooms." He offered.

"Right. D'you have a uniform and everything?" Dean asked, walking towards the guy's locker room and pushing open the door. It was still empty, but he knew it'd be a mad house soon enough.

"I do have them." Castiel replied, he walked into the locker room first looking around. "Do I just choose anywhere?"

Dean nodded. "Yup, any empty locker." He said, walking over to his own. "There's a couple empties over here." He offered as he unlocked his own, pulling out his clothes.

Castiel walked over to where Dean was, finding an empty locker. "This is a really big locker room, is there going to be a lot of people?" he asked as he unzipped his bag and took out his clothes.

Dean thought for a second, pulling his shorts and shirt off. "Nah, it's about medium, I guess." He said, pulling his shirt over his head and shaking his gym shorts out a little before pulling it on.

Castiel put his stuff away into the locker and took out a lock, better to be safe than sorry. He had set his clothes on a bench. He turned back and saw Dean taking off his shirt. He felt his heart-rate picking back up again. He felt like he was staring so he quickly grabbed his clothes and turned back around. He didn't understand why, but he felt embarrassed and nervous. He shouldn’t be feeling like this. 

Dean glanced over at Cas as he shoved his clothes away, wondering if he was self-conscious or something. ' _ Not that he should be, he looked like he'd have a pretty good body— _ ' Dean stopped the thought, suddenly realizing what exactly he'd been thinking about. He put his focus back locking his things up, trying not to think about it again.

Castiel put away his shirt, pulling his gym shirt over his back. He just continued to change his clothes, putting it away. By the time he finished, Dean was already done. 

"It seems we are done before the other students. Should we just wait?" he asked.

Dean glanced around. "Yeah, we'll wait 'til a few of the others have gone out. Don't wanna seem too eager. So what's your favorite sport?" He asked, looking at Cas. He didn't seem like an athletic type, but Dean figured there must be some spot he liked.

"I don't have anything I'm especially fond of. I'm pretty average in every sport but I never fully tried a sport. No one really wanted to play or have me on their team so I never really got to play much." Castiel replied. He did some athletic hobbies but they weren’t a sport per say but he didn’t want to say that. He used to get mocked so he kept his mouth shut.

Dean shrugged. "That's alright. It's just gym, you're not trying out for the football team. Some guys get pretty competitive but I personally don't care. So I'll pick you for my team, if we ever get that chance." He said.

The locker room was crowded now with people changing, and soon they'd have to head out. "Really, it's more about survival than winning." Dean added with a grin.

"I can do that." Castiel smiled, "We should head out, I kind of don't want people bumping into me." he said.

Dean nodded and started to head out, more than happy to get away from the testosterone-filled locker room. He glanced back to make sure Cas was behind him before pushing out the door and going into the gym.

Castiel was behind him, until more guys filled the locker room and was getting in his way. "Excuse me. Excuse-"

Some kid bumped into him and continued walking. A group of guys pointed to Castiel, "Hey, dude. Didn't you get into a fight today?" they asked. Castiel glanced at them, before looking away. He was looking for Dean.

"Dude, we asked you a question." one of the guys pressed.

Castiel looked back at them, "I don't believe it's any of your concern if I was or not." he replied.

"Dude get the stick out of your ass, we just want to ask you a question. No need to be high and mighty because you fought someone." the guy scoffed.

"I don't even think you beat the guy up. Too weak and meek." he glanced over at Castiel.

A random guy walked by, "Maybe he's a fairy." he laughed.

"I wouldn't doubt it." another guy chipped in.

The guy in front of Castiel looked back at him, "So? Are you? Does seeing all these guys changing turn you on?" he teased.

Castiel felt the embarrassment rise in his skin, turning away as he looked for Dean.

"Dude, no way. He didn't even deny it!" another guy spoke up. They laughed a bit as Castiel tried to move past them to find Dean.

Dean stopped, looking backwards and frowning. He waited a moment, figuring Cas had just got stuck behind someone, then frowned when he didn't appear. He let the door close and made his way back, eyes narrowing when he saw the guys around Cas. He shouldered his way roughly through the crowd, stopping to stand firmly by Cas's side.

"Is there are problem?" He demanded, crossing his arms across his chest.

The guys looked at Dean, "There isn't. Isn't that right?" they glanced at Castiel. Castiel looked down at his feet, not saying anything.

"See? No problem." one of the guys said. "What's it to you anyways? Thought you were the lone wolf? Standing up for the new kid?" the guy arched a brow.

Some random guy behind him spoke up, "Well apparently he's gay so he could repay you in sexual favors." he said.

The guy chuckled a little, "Maybe he could, he could pull off a girl." he shrugged.

Dean glared at the group of guys, hands clenching into fists. "Why the fuck do you care? Even if he is into guys, he's not gonna look at a douche like you twice. Back the hell off and leave him alone!" He demanded, uncrossing his arms, hands still in fists.

The guy in front raised his hands defensively in front of him, "Calm down man. We were just asking him a question earlier." he said. "No need to get mad." he added.

Castiel looked up at Dean, "Let's just go." he said, turning away from the group.

The guy looked from Castiel to Dean, "See? Go on." he ushered.

Dean gave them one more glare before brushing past them, hating everyone in the room except for himself and Cas. "Asses." He muttered, still pissed at how they'd cornered him like that. "You okay?" He turned and asked.

Castiel was looking down as his feet before he glanced up at Dean, then back at his feet. "Yes, I'm fine..." he said.

Castiel hated the feeling of being cornered, but it was something he had experienced multiple times. He felt bad that he brought Dean into it. He couldn't handle it by himself, he needed to rely on Dean. He felt a spike of fear with the thought of Dean getting hurt because of him or him getting bullied.

Dean frowned, not liking how closed in on himself Cas seemed. He wished he knew what to say to him, but he'd been dealing with sort of thing for a while apparently. Dean felt his heart twist at Cas having to deal with things like that on his own.

"Hey, don't worry about them, okay?" He said, putting a hand on his shoulder

Castiel looked up at Dean, "I won't. I was more worried on what will happen to you if you continue to hang around me Dean. It seems I just bring misfortune and torment to those who try to get close." he said, looking away. "I appreciate that you came to help me, but I also hate myself for having to rely so much on you for it." he confessed.

Dean blinked, surprised by his confession. "Castiel, you don't bring bad things. They're just bad people looking for an excuse to be jerks. And you haven't asked me to defend you any of these times- I've volunteered. So really, don't worry about it, okay? I want to help you out, really."

Castiel looked at him hesitantly, not really sure if it was true. He knew that he hadn't asked Dean to help but it felt like he had to rely on him a lot. He twisted his fingers a little. He nodded, hoping that Dean really wasn't mad. He wanted to tell Dean to just leave him. The bruises heal, it wasn’t a big deal.

Dean frowned, able to tell that Cas didn't really believe him. He caught his twisting fingers in his free hand, holding them still. "Cas. Seriously. I've wanted to do this for you. I don't mind. Really." He said, ducking down slightly to catch Cas's eyes.

Castiel looked at Dean, staring back at his green eyes. He felt a tight squeeze in his chest, seeing Dean so serious about what he is trying to say. He gave Dean's fingers a little squeeze, feeling a bit better. He trusted Dean's words. He didn't say anything in return, just the squeeze of his fingers on Dean's.

Dean met Cas's vibrant gaze, hoping he was as reassured as he looked. He realized that they were close, leaning slightly towards each other, and hastily straightened before his mind could think about that fact, or worse, act on it.

"Good. Now let's kick these sons of bitches' asses." He said, hand slipping away from Cas's, wanting to move away from his own internal confusion.

Castiel nodded, "I think that would be enjoyable right now." he said.

He saw Dean starting to walk away. He glanced down at his hand and tightened it then released it. He felt a sudden loss of something and his heart pinched a little. He dropped his hand back down to his side and jogged to catch up to Dean.

Dean glanced over at Cas when he jogged up beside him, rubbing his hands together. The other kids had spilled out of the locker room as well and were standing around when the coach blew his whistle. "C’mon stretch out and get ready for warm ups!" He barked.

Everyone did a quick 10 minute stretch before they were told to do their warm up run.

Dean groaned. ' _ Running, great _ .'

Castiel glanced at Dean, "Guess we better start." He said. Dean and Castiel started jogging around the gym with everyone else. "Will we really start over if we walk?" He asked.

"Well, as long as you kind of make it look like you're still jogging they won't really notice." Dean replied. 

"So they would? That's kind of mean." Castiel made a face. He was pretty good at running long distances, having a good stamina so he wasn't actually that worried.

Dean shrugged as he jogged along him. "They have the whistle- that makes them our god, basically." He said jokingly. "They get to be as mean as they want."

"But if they don't have a whistle, will they still have that same effect?" Castiel asked. He glanced at the group of guys running past them, a few bumped past him, avoiding Dean.

Dean glared at their backs, jaw clenching slightly. He wanted to catch up to them and say something, but stayed with Cas instead. "I dunno. Even if they didn't have an actual whistle, they're still teachers. Still gotta do what they say. But we wouldn't take them as seriously, I guess."

Castiel nodded, brushing off the feeling of being bumped. "Is this what we're going to be doing the whole period?" He asked.

"We'll probably play part of a game or something." Dean replied, watching as the first few runners ended their laps.

They eventually finished their two laps, talking most of the time. Castiel laughed a few times after a while. They went back to their good atmosphere they had of joking and talking. The coach was calling them over as the last few finished. Dean walked with Cas, glad the earlier incident was behind them. Hopefully the other guys would leave him alone now. And, if not, Dean was ready for them.

The coach glanced at all of them once they were all there, "I didn't plan anything for you guys yet for today but we'll be starting the football unit tomorrow." He said. "We'll just play dodgeball since everyone seems to like that." He shrugged. "Split yourself into teams and I'll check them over to make sure you guys won't dominate over each other." He said, stepping back to let the kids decide.

Dean grinned, tugging Cas's elbow slightly to get on the opposite side of the guys who had cornered him. "Time for some good old fashioned payback." He said to him, rubbing his hands together.

Castiel looked at him, "I'm kind of nervous. I never had to actually play before. I'm worried I'm going to bring you down." He said even though Dean had told him beforehand what to do.

"Try to get a ball, like catch one if you can and then just use it to deflect the others. And throw it if you see a good shot." Dean advised. "If you stay behind me for the most part, you should be good. No worries." He said.

"Okay." Castiel nodded.

The coach pulled out a bag of soft balls and looked over at the teams. "Alright, back to your walls and when I blow the whistle have at it." He said, emptying the bag out. He stepped back after, tossing the bag aside. Castiel looked at Dean hesitantly and the whistle rang out.

Dean glanced over at Cas, seeing how nervous he was. He wanted to say something at least a little reassuring, but then the whistle blew and he sprinted forward, snatching up a ball and backing quickly up, eyes watching for any balls headed his way. He bounced a few balls off of his own, looking quickly for any sign of Cas.

Castiel had picked up a ball rolling his way and was holding it close. He was really good at avoiding them as the few flew past. He hit them off with his ball like Dean instructed, keeping himself in the game. He shuffled closer to Dean, keeping the ball in hand.

Dean grinned, glad Cas seemed to have the hang of it. Since he was holding his own fairly well, Dean took a few quick steps forward and chucked his ball, pegging one of Cas's former assailants in the stomach. He stepped back again, giving Cas a quick smile.

Castiel smiled at Dean, he squeezed the ball and felt like he should throw it too. He saw Dean hitting a few people and was getting the team out. Two people aimed at Dean at the same time and he was looking away so Castiel threw the ball, hitting the person in the side. He smiled in excitement, looking at Dean to see if he saw.

Dean caught a ball, turning to smile at Cas. "You've got the hang of this n-" he stopped, a ball hitting his leg. "Damnit." He cursed himself for not paying attention. "You got it Cas, don't worry, okay?" He said, setting the ball down and going to watch from the side.

Castiel squeezed a ball close to him, now not having his safety net. Most of the guys from earlier were still there. He gulped as they targeted him. He blocked most of the ones coming at his head and moved around, not throwing anything back. The kids that were out were just watching. Eventually it was just Cas and a small group against him

"Cas, you gotta throw the ball!" Dean called, hating to see Cas by himself. "Throw it and try to catch another." He said from the side, standing right on the edge. He now regretted putting them on opposing sides of the group.

"Yeah c'mon ‘Cas’. Throw it." One of the guys teased. "It's just you versus us. No one can protect you." He said.

Castiel huffed, hurling the ball at the kid's face. "Don't call me Cas!" He snapped. The ball hit the kid in the face and he stumbled back.

"You're out." The coach said.

"But he hit me in the face!" The guy yelled.

"Didn't matter. I heard you guys in the locker room, so anything goes for him." The coach replied.

The guy cursed. "Whatever." He huffed walking away.

Dean grinned broadly. "That's what I'm talking about!" He whooped, hoping Cas would be able to keep it up. "C'mon, only a couple left. You've got this." He encouraged, glancing at the other team.

The other team started throwing whatever balls they had on their side at Castiel. Castiel didn't throw any after, just waited til they ran out. Then they were just standing there waiting for him to do something. He picked up a ball on his side and looked over at the rest of the team. He quickly stepped into it and hurled the ball at another kid, hitting him in the lower ankle. Three more. He picked up another ball quickly and threw it again, aiming near the edges of their bodies. It hit some kid in the elbow, going up in the air. A kid was about to catch it until Castiel quickly swiped a ball up and chucked it at him, hitting him in the stomach. There was only one kid left. The one who spoke to him first. Castiel held a ball in his hand, while he held one too. It was like a showdown and everyone was really quiet. Castiel walked back, kicking the balls on his side to more accessible locations. He watched the kid for a second, before he kicked a ball, sending it flying in his direction. The kid hit it out of the way, while Castiel threw another ball at him, narrowly missing him. The kid grinned, laughing a little at his failure. He had more of the balls on his side now. Castiel's eyes shifted, trying to figure out a plan.

Castiel bit his lip a little, he could do this. He had 3 balls on his side and the other kid had 7. He picked up a ball and held it close. The kid held one in his hands, throwing it roughly at Castiel. It narrowly missed his head as Castiel moved to the side. Castiel threw one ball at his ankle and the kid stepped to the side. Castiel just had to think of something quick. He threw a ball at his lower shins and the kid jumped to dodge it and he threw another ball at him. The kid tossed a ball back at Castiel at the same time. The ball Castiel threw, brushed by his upper shoulder. Then the ball that that kid threw whizzed toward Castiel, making a loud sound in impact. Castiel curled into himself a little, but stood back up after a few seconds. He caught it.

"Castiel's Team wins!" The coach blew the whistle.

Dean watched them apprehensively, eyes widening as the ball hit Cas and beaming when he realized he'd caught it. "Yes!" He cheered, jogging out to where Cas was standing and grabbing his shoulders. "Did you see the looks on their faces? Man you totally owned them!" He said, ecstatic at how well he'd done.

Castiel blinked, breaking out into a grin. "We won? I did it?" he said.

The class was shocked and surprised that he did that by himself and was so good at it. Some of the kids were talking to each other thinking that maybe some of the rumors were true or making new ones.

Castiel grinned at Dean, not really caring about what else. "I did it because you taught me what I'm supposed to do! Thanks." he said.

"Nah, I just gave you the basics! You're the one that won. And you totally showed those assholes up! I bet they won't mess with you for a while." He smiled, focused on Cas and not even caring what the others were saying- Cas had proved himself whether they liked it or not.

Castiel smiled, "Thank you Dean." He said, feeling happy that Dean said that and getting out some anger. He felt a lot better than earlier. The coach had the losing side clean up the cones and balls, putting them back. The coach called them back over, "Alright. Starting the football unit tomorrow. Go get changed." He said, dismissing them.

"Man, Cas, that was seriously insane." Dean gushed as they walked into the locker rooms. "They were seriously out to get you! I don't know if I could've faced that many alone." He continued, pulling his clothes out of his locker and pulling off his shirt. "It was impressive. Seriously." He said honestly, looking over at Cas.

Castiel blushed a little at all the praise, he smiled, happy to make Dean proud. "Thank you Dean." he said again to the praise.

He blushed a bit more, seeing Dean standing in front of him shirtless. It could be dismissed as being hot from gym though. He turned back to his locker and grabbed his clothes and slowly started to get changed. A few guys walked by Castiel, telling him that he did well. He just gave them a nod in return.

Dean smirked smugly as the other guys congratulated Cas; now they all realized how awesome he was. He finished changing and stuffed his clothes back in his locker. "So overall, how was your first day, Cas? Or should I call you Castiel- I don't wanna get pegged by a dodgeball." He asked jokingly.

Castiel pulled his shirt over his head, "I only said that to him because I didn't want him to call me what you call me. That's your nickname for me." he said. He put his clothes back in his locker and locked it, putting his backpack over his shoulder. "I had a really good day. There were things that made it a little bad, but it's probably one of the best days of school I had in awhile." he told him. Granted he was sore and probably going to be even more so after their gym class.

Dean grinned, glad Cas liked him calling him Cas- and only him. "That's awesome. And hopefully it'll only get better from here." He replied, pulling on his own bag. "Oh, hey, how do you get home? Do you drive, take the bus, or walk?" He asked curiously.

"I do drive, but I don't have my car. I have to fix it, but I can't figure out what's wrong with it." Castiel replied. "I walked today and I guess I'm walking til I can figure out how to fix it or get it to a mechanic." he said.

"Oh, hey, I could probably help. I work in my uncle's car shop to make extra money on the weekend and stuff." Dean replied. "I bet I could fix it for you, for free too."

Castiel looked at him, "Seriously? That would help me a lot, but if you really need someone to pay you, I can do that. I can't just allow you to help me without paying you." he said.

Dean waved the offer off. "Nah, don't worry about it. Friends and family discount." He said with a grin. "You just have to give me a ride home sometimes and we'll call it even." He replied, hating taking the bus home. Eventually he'd fix up his dad's impala and be able to drive it, but that was a long way off at the moment.

"Okay that's fine." Castiel replied. "I don't mind having to drive you home. So are you taking the bus then?" he asked.

"Yeah, I usually take the bus. It seriously sucks." Dean replied with an annoyed eye roll. "Anyway, when do you want me to come look at it?" He asked.

"Whenever you want, I don't really have any plans. You could do this today or tomorrow. Whenever we make plans to do whatever else we planned." Castiel replied. "Do you not drive?" he asked.

Dean sighed. "I would drive, if I could fix my car. My dad got in a wreck with his car, and once I fix it it's mine." He replied. "But anyway, how about I come today?" He offered, not having anything else to do and no desire to go home.

"Why haven't you fixed it then?" Castiel asked as they walked out of the locker room. "You can come today, I don't mind. Shouldn't you tell your brother that you aren't going to be going home?" he asked.

"It was really messed up in the crash, so I'm practically starting from scratch." Dean shrugged. "Yeah, I'll text him and let him know." He added, pulling out his phone and sending him a text.

Castiel hadn't had a friend over before, it was making him nervous. His family was well off, but he never told people that. He did everything he could by himself. He wanted to move out, but his parents always dragged him home. He's waiting until he turned 18 to finally move out.

He looked at Dean, "Must be hard work. It's convenient you know how to fix cars when I was having troubles with it." he chuckled.

"Well, it's one of my very few skills." Dean replied with a laugh. The bell signaled the end of school and Dean walked with Cas out. "Really, it's lucky that you have car problems- I couldn't really help you with anything else."

"You could teach me how to fight, how to deal with people, how to shoot, there's a lot you can and could teach me." Castiel replied honestly. "Uhm, so you don't mind walking with me home?" he asked. "You could take the bus or have someone drop you off." he looked at Dean.

Dean shrugged. "I'd definitely rather walk with you than take the bus. Unless you don't want me to come right now?" He asked, hoping Cas didn't mind. He didn't have anyone who could drop him off for a while and walking with Cas would be way more fun than the bus. Plus, he was kind of curious what his house was like.

Castiel fiddled with his fingers, "I don't mind you coming over, I just never had a friend over so I'm kind of nervous." he said. "My parents aren't home but my siblings probably are so I hope you don't mind." he glanced at Dean.

He was worried his family was going to scare Dean away and he wasn't going to talk to him anymore. He was worried that his problems were going to scare Dean away but that didn't happen so he hoped that they could stay friends. He’ll still have to be careful. 

"Nah, I don't mind." Dean replied, curious as to why Cas seemed so worried about it. Were they really that bad? Well, it wasn't like he didn't have his own fair share of family problems. He'd just have to wait and find out.

Castiel nodded, fixing his bag. He started to walk them in the direction of his house. It wasn't exactly close but not too far. He hoped that Dean wouldn't treat him differently once he found out where family he came from, some kids did and they tried to take advantage of that or use him. He glanced over at Dean, not wanting to think about any more what ifs. "What is your brother like?" he asked.

Dean grinned, thinking of Sam. "He's a nerd. Studies all the time, does research, really good grades. He's probably gonna get into Stanford or something." He said, clearly proud of him. For as much of a mess his dad was, Sam had his life together and was clearly going places.

"You guys sound like polar opposites." Castiel laughed a little, finding it endearing that Dean looked so happy to talk about Sam. "That's amazing, I would really like to meet him one day." he smiled.

Dean laughed. "Yeah, we are. We get along pretty well though. What about your siblings? What're they like?" He asked, realizing he didn't even know how many Cas had.

Castiel paused slightly, thinking of his siblings. He didn't exactly know what to say about them, what was right to say and what was too much. He hadn't had anyone to ask about his personal life before, it was more of he went to school and came home and the routine would repeat the next day.

"Uhm, I have a lot of siblings. Michael, Luciel, Anna, and Gabriel. I have a lot of cousins and we just call them siblings. I have a really big family." Castiel glanced at Dean before he twisted his fingers. "I don't really connect with many of my siblings, just a few."

"Oh, wow, they all live with you? Man it's usually just me, my dad, Sam, and Bobby and even that feels crowded sometimes." Dean replied. He couldn't imagine all those people under one roof- it must be a pretty big house, he realized.

"We don't all live together, just my parents and the few I listed." Castiel explained. He looked over at Dean, "Who's Bobby?" he asked.

Dean nodded, actually somewhat relieved there weren't going to be like twenty of them. "Oh, Bobby's kind of my uncle. Not by blood, but he's always been there for us, even more than our dad." He replied.

Castiel heard Dean say his reply, catching that apparently Bobby, their uncle, had spent more time with them than their actual father. That made him upset, since he could relate in a way. He never really saw his parents, mostly his father. It's been awhile since he had last seen his father and he hasn't even spared a thought on whether his father was okay or not.

"He sounds like a kind man. What is he like?" he asked.

Dean laughed. "He is kind, but he won't let you know it straight out. He's more likely to call you an 'idjit' than something nice." Dean replied with a grin. "But he really is a good guy, deep down."

Castiel smiled, "Those who put up a hard front or a facade are always the kindest. You need to see beyond the surface to know what they're like and sometimes you find the best people." he replied. They were pretty close to his house now as they continued to walk and talk about their family. "I don't believe the word 'Idjit" is an actual word. Is that a nickname? An insult?" he asked.

"Yeah, you gotta dig pretty deep, but Bobby's great." Dean replied. "And 'idjit' is his way of saying idiot." He chuckled. "I don't even do the word justice- doesn't sound right unless it's coming from him." He said. He wondered how close they were. It looked like a pretty nice part of town.

Castiel laughed a little, "Must be his thing." he said. "I think I would like to meet him too when I meet your brother." he said. His house was a few more blocks down and at the end of the street in a secluded area. He didn't understand why, but his parents didn't like neighbors. "We're getting kind of close, just a while more" he told him.

"You can meet them both whenever you come over. I bet they'd like you." Dean replied honestly. He didn't know about his dad, but with any luck Cas would never have to meet him. "Nice neighborhood." He commented.

Castiel rubbed his arm, "Thanks." he said.

They talked awhile more about anything that came to mind, mostly it was Dean talking animatedly while Castiel listened, smiling and laughing a bit at Dean's jokes and expressions. They finally arrived to Castiel's house and he led them around the side, not wanting to go through the front gate and freak out Dean. He walked up to the door and took out his keys, unlocking it. He pushed it open and gestured for Dean to go in first. "If you want, you can take off your shoes right over there." he pointed.

Dean glanced around the house as he took off his shoes where Cas indicated, pretty impressed. He couldn't tell just by looking at him, but now it was obvious they had money. "This is a really nice house," he said, glad that a life like this hadn't turned Cas into a spoiled douche.

"I suppose it is. I'm not really one fond of grand homes. I really want a cozy one than a spacious one." Castiel told him, taking off his own shoes. "I don't know if you want a tour but if you want, I can show you around." he offered.

Dean nodded, agreeing with the idea of a cozy house. He wouldn't know what to do with a huge house like this. "Yeah, a tour would be pretty cool." He replied, curious to see around where he lived.

Castiel nodded, "Okay, we can go to the living room first." he said, leading them there. Their house was mostly a pearl color, appearing like those homes from magazines. It looked too perfect. Castiel walked them into the living room, "I don't really go in here, but Gabriel likes to relax here and watch TV and eat sweets." he explained.

Gabriel popped his head up from the couch, pulling a sucker out of his mouth. "Cassie! You're home!" he grinned, not seeing Dean yet from his angle. He rested his arms on the back of the couch and his head on his arms to look at his little brother. "Is that a bruise on your face?" his face darkened a little, instead of the carefree smile.

Castiel nodded slightly, he paused a little before he replied. "Yes, but I'm fine." he said.

Gabriel looked at him skeptically, wondering if he was telling the whole truth. "Seriously?" he asked.

Castiel nodded again, "Yes, Dean helped me." he explained.

Gabriel perked up again, curiosity sparked on Castiel's first day of school. "Dean? Who's Dean?" he asked.

Dean took a step around Cas to get a better view of his brother. "I'm Dean." He greeted, raising a hand in a sort of wave. "And I take it you're Gabriel?" He asked.

Gabriel's eyes widened a little, he glanced at Castiel before he jumped off the side of the couch to walk toward Dean. He looked him over, stepping in front of him. "Yep." he popped the P, putting the sucker back in his mouth. He looked over at Castiel, "You brought home a friend. I'm so proud. We should go buy a huge cake with lots of frosting and sweets." he grinned.

Castiel made a face at the thought of such a cake, "That's sounds horrendous." he said, not really wanting anything that sweet.

Gabriel shrugged looking back at Dean. "So you protected my baby brother huh? You're not some punk right because I will not hesitate to beat the shit out of you and kick you out of this house." he said, starting with a smile then darkened after.

"Gabriel!" Castiel exclaimed.

Dean raised his eyebrows slightly at Gabriel's threat, but didn't miss a beat. "It's okay, Cas. I'd do the same for my brother." He said, knowing that he definitely would, before answering Gabriel. "I'm not a punk, or at least don't think of myself as one. And I just evened out a rigged fight- two on one's not fair, so I helped balance the odds." He replied with a shrug.

Gabriel raised a brow at the nickname but didn't say anything. He looked over at Castiel. "How did two people start ganging up on you Cassie?" He asked.

Castiel sighed, "Just a misunderstanding and a lie." He explained.

Gabriel sighed as well, "New school and you're already having problems. Why can't you just be home schooled?" He asked.

Castiel narrowed his eyes, "You know why and we're not talking about this now." He said.

Dean kept quiet, not wanting to stick his nose in their family business, but a question came in his mind. Why didn't Cas want to be homeschooled? He would love to not have to deal with the dicks they do at school but it seemed like Cas had some type of resentment to it. He wondered why, but didn't want to ask him. He just peered around the room as they talked.

Gabriel looked back over to Dean, "I'll let you slide for helping Cassie, but if you turn out to be one of those backstabbers. I will find you." He threatened, before he grinned. "You're the first friend Cassie has over! You should be excited! You want a sucker? Here." He gave him a new one from his pocket. "If you guys need anything, I'll still be here for a little while but I have to go soon." He said, skipping back at the couch and jumping back into his seat.

Castiel watched Gabriel take his seat back on the couch before he looked back apologetically at Dean, "Sorry for that..."

Dean took the sucker and chuckled. "It's alright, I don't mind." He replied, sticking it in his pocket. Honestly, he was glad Cas's brother seemed protective. "I'll just be sure to not stab you in the back." He joked.

Castiel smiled a little at him, "Let us continue, there's still a lot more rooms if you still want to see the house." He said. He turned a little and started walking again. Leading them around, passing a few rooms. Castiel pointed out rooms as they went, "This is the kitchen, where I spend most of my time, if not my room." He gestured.

Dean followed him around, glancing in all of the rooms. He half expected to see more of Cas's siblings, but was admittedly sort of relieved that he didn't. "Cooking and stuff?" He asked as they walked into the kitchen. It was pretty spacious, but comfortable.

"Well that's normally what happens in a kitchen." Castiel laughed a little. Castiel began to lead him down another hall and there was a soft melody playing. The room where the music was coming from was cracked open and Castiel knocked on the door lightly before he peered his head in to see his sister playing on their grand piano. "Anna? You're home early." He said.

Anna glanced at him, playing the last few keys before she slowly stopped playing and turned on the seat to look at him. "I wanted to see you on the first day. How was it?" She asked. "...Who's that?" She asked another question. She saw a glimpse of someone behind him and wondered who that was. Castiel opened the door a bit wider and moved to the side a little for Dean.

Dean listened to the soft music before it stopped, smiling slightly at Anna. "Hi, Dean Winchester. I'm a friend of Cas's; we have a few classes together." He explained. "I'm gonna take a look at his car, see if I can help fix it." He added.

"Anna Milton." Anna greeted with a polite smile and introduced herself. She looked at Dean a little curiously, "Castiel asked someone to come over to look at his car? On the first day? How did you manage that?" she asked.

She looked over at Castiel again for some sort of explanation before she stood up and walked over. She gently reached out and touched Castiel's cheek, "How did you get this Castiel?" she asked, looking from the bruise to his eyes.

Castiel smiled slightly, seeing the concern in her features. "I'm fine. Just a misunderstanding." he said.

Anna didn't really like that answer, wanting more of a detailed explanation. She glanced at Dean, "Do you know of this?" she asked.

Dean glanced over at Cas, wondering exactly how truthful he should be. "Well, I'm not exactly sure how it started, but a couple guys tried to gang up on him. I just evened out the score, though, and they left." He replied, figuring he'd be honest since she seemed to care. So far Cas's siblings seemed very protective.

"You've gotten into another fight?" Anna asked. "It's your first day and people are already like this?" she looked at him concerned, rubbing a thumb on his cheek.

Castiel sighed, "It can't be helped that it happens, but Dean and I are friends." he smiled a little again, taking her hand from his cheek. He ran a thumb across her knuckles, "No need to worry sister, I think I'm going to be okay."

Anna smiled tenderly, she looked back at Dean. "You're very brave and kind. Thank you for helping Castiel." she said.

"Oh, it’s, uh, really wasn't that big of deal. I mean, I wasn't just gonna leave him." Dean replied, rubbing the back of his neck. He wasn't sure what exactly he'd expected from Cas's brief description of his siblings, but it sure wasn't this.

Anna smiled softly, "You might think it's not, but to others it is." she said. She slipped her hand out of Castiel's. "I fear I must be leaving." she said.

"You're leaving already?" Castiel asked.

"Yes, I came home only to see if you were okay. Seems like I have nothing to worry about." Anna replied.

Castiel waved to her, "Thank you." he said.

Anna gently kissed Castiel's cheek before she walked past them and pat Dean on the shoulder as she was walking by, "Gabriel is a more physical type but if you hurt Castiel I will destroy you by other means." she said lowly as she left.

Dean nodded slightly. ' _ Alright then. Protective and threatening seemed to run in the family. _ ' He definitely hadn't planned on doing anything to hurt Cas, but it made him slightly nervous anyway. "Right, well, they seem nice." He replied, glancing at Cas with a slight smile.

Castiel looked at him, "They mean well but they have a different way of showing it. I think they like you." he said. He laughed a little once he saw Dean's face change a bit to a more confused one. "Anna does not touch people and Gabriel doesn't give his sweets away. I think they like you." he smiled a little. "Those two are the ones I get along best with." he said.

"Oh. Awesome." Dean replied, cracking a grin. He wasn't exactly sure why that fact made him happy, but he was glad to know they seemed to like him. "They seem pretty cool, threats aside. And, I mean, it's nice that they care so much."

Castiel smiled a bit more, "We've become closer over the years, seems like my suffering had made them more aware of my presence." he said. "There's just a bunch of bedrooms in the house and miscellaneous things left. There are also things of a cliché rich home, a loft, a deck, a pool. All the luxuries that aren't needed but there." he waved his hand dismissively. "I can go show you the garage then." he said.

Dean frowned, not liking the sound of his siblings only noticing him after his troubles started. He tried to push the thought away, bringing his focus back onto his actual reason to being there-- the car, right.

"Sounds good." He'd probably be more comfortable there anyway. "So what kind of car is it?"

"I do believe it's a 2000 Toyota Celica GT." Castiel replied. "I don't really drive that often, but I do take care of things that are mine." he said, walking them to the garage. "It was given as a gift from someone I knew who didn't use it anymore, but I paid them back for it." he said, flipping on the lights.

Dean nodded, walking over to the car. It was clean and looked like it was in good condition. "Well, let's see if we can get your baby up and running." He said, running a hand across the hood. "So what's the problem?"

"I am thinking it is possibly the alternator. The car won't start so I can only assume three things, dead battery, alternator, or the cylinders and compression." Castiel replied. "The car revs so it can't be the battery. It just stalls out. There's definitely gas inside the car, so that's a no to that too. I have yet to check the alternator or the whole engine in general." he told Dean. He wasn't sure how well Dean was with handling cars so maybe he just needed another's perspective to know what's wrong with it before he went and get it fixed. "You can help me look it over so I can figure out what's the problem, but if you can't figure it out that's fine." he said.

"Alternator, huh? I can fix that, no problem. So you're sure that's what's wrong?" Dean asked, popping the hood and leaning over the engine a little, wanting to be positive before he started messing with it. If it was just the alternator, he knew he could fix it pretty quickly but it would still take him a little while since fixing the alternator would be easy but finding if that's the problem or why it malfunctioned was time consuming and difficult.

"I'm pretty sure. I don't really know what else it would be." Castiel replied. "Do you think you can fix it?" he asked.

Dean glanced back at him with a grin. "Course! Just need a couple tools and I bet I can have it running again in no time." He replied, straightening. "And if you don't have a lot of time or something, I can take it home to fix once I get it out." He offered with a shrug, not knowing how long Cas really wanted him there.

Castiel looked at him, "I have time. I don't normally do much. Is there a time you have to be home?" he asked. "Just take your time with it. I'm in no rush to drive my car. It's still very nice out so I don't mind walking. You may come back tomorrow and continue. It doesn't have to all be today." he offered. Normally Castiel would be reading, doing his homework, or cooking. "Do you not want me here while you fix it? I can leave if it makes you uncomfortable." he said.

"No, no," Dean replied quickly. "I wouldn't mind company, if you don't have anything else to do." He added, managing to sound more casual. "And there's no time I need to be home. No one's really keeping track." He said turning back to the engine, surveying it and what he could do. "Anyway, can you get me a wrench? Gotta disconnect the battery." he asked, not sure where anything was like he did when he was at Bobby's garage.

"Your brother isn't going to ask about you?" Castiel asked, going over to the tool box and getting a wrench. He handed it to Dean. "If you need something I can get you it." he said. "But you may look around if you like and familiarize yourself. Everything is pretty organized but you just need to find where they are first." he told him. He came back with a light to hang on the car for Dean so he could see clearly.

Dean shrugged at Castiel's question before smiling and taking the wrench from him. "Nah, I don't think so. I mean, I told him I wasn't coming home, so he's not gonna worry or anything. He'll probably just ask where I was." He replied. "Thanks for the light." he added before leaning over the engine and starting to work.

Castiel smiled a little at Dean, "You're welcome." he said before he leaned against a shelf in the garage. "I hope we don't see any more of my siblings. I don't think they'll take to you well." he told him honestly. He looked over at Dean, only to end up staring at him. He could see his back move through his shirt and his arms shifting. He looked down at his hands to not stare or anywhere else but Dean. He wouldn't know how to explain himself if he got caught staring.

Dean laughed, turning slightly so he could see Cas. "Based on the threats from Gabriel and Anna, I don't think I want to know how your siblings would be if they didn't like me." He joked, though the thought was pretty worrying.

Castiel glanced at Dean before he looked down at his feet, "It's not easy when they don't like you..." he said softly. He glanced at Dean, "But you don't need to worry about it, they don't come home often." he added

Dean frowned, humor replaced with concern. Cas almost sounded like he had firsthand experience, but they were siblings, so of course that couldn't be true... Right? "They're really that bad? Jeez, Cas, the holidays must be shitty." He replied with a joke, trying to cheer him up again. Talking about family clearly wasn't a good area so he tried to make the conversation lighter.

Castiel rubbed the side of his arm, "They don't normally end well...so we don't really celebrate any holidays." he told him. He felt like he was just pouring himself into Dean and being too open about everything, he looked back up at Dean. "I'll...I'll go get you something to drink. Do you want something?" he asked, not wanting to continue on the topic they were on.

"Oh, some water'd be great." He replied with a slight smile that fell from his face the moment Cas turned away to go back in the house.

_ 'Stupid, obviously he didn't like talking about his family.'  _ Dean frowned, mad at himself for not changing the subject or something. He knew it was a touchy subject and decided to make a joke about it? ' _ Argh _ .' Dean sighed, frustrated at himself and quietly reprimanding himself as he examined the car some more.

Castiel walked back into the house and slowly made his way to the the kitchen. He sighed, silently reprimanded himself. He felt like he was pouring everything into Dean and thought that he was being clingy and needy or being too personal. They have barely known each other a day and he was already saying things about his family that he shouldn't. He just found it so easy to talk to Dean that it sort of came out before he would think about it. Dean probably didn’t want to know this stuff, he should just keep his mouth shut.

Castiel grabbed two glasses from the cabinet and got ice and some water for Dean. He wondered a little if he should bring him something to munch on as well since he was working and he wanted to thank him. He looked around the kitchen to see if he could make a quick snack, they had some fruit. He hummed in thought before he grabbed an apple and cut it into slices. Then he grabbed a small bowl and put peanut butter in it. He heated it up in the microwave for a few seconds and poured some honey in it after he took it out. He mixed up the peanut butter and put it on a plate. He smiled slightly, satisfied before he started going back to the garage with two glasses of water and apples.

Dean glanced up when Cas came back, straightening when he saw the apples and water. "Oh, sweet, thanks." He said, walking over and wiping the engine grease on his jeans. He carefully took a slice, scooping up some peanut butter and taking a bite. "Mmf," he began, the peanut butter sticking to the roof of his mouth. "Thith ith awethome," he took a gulp of water. "That's the best peanut butter! Is there something else in it?" He asked, taking another slice eagerly.

"Yes, there's honey." Castiel smiled, happy that he made a good choice. "It makes the peanut butter sweeter and a bit healthier. I warmed up the peanut butter so it's creamier than its thicker consistency." he explained. "I'm guessing you like the snack I got for you." he chuckled.

Dean grinned sheepishly, realizing he'd barely swallowed before eating another. "Man, that's good. I don't think I've ever actually had peanut butter and apples. And yeah, I do." He chuckled. "Looks like you might actually get me to eat healthy. Thanks, by the way."

"You're welcome." Castiel smiled. He picked up a slice too and dipped it into the peanut butter and ate it. "I used to make this for myself when I was a kid. It was healthy and fast to make." he said. "Did you need help with anything?" he asked.

Dean snagged another apple with a good amount of peanut butter. "I'm good I think, but thanks. Food and company are really all I need." He popped the apple into his mouth. "M almoth done 'exathamining the engine." He added, chewing and swallowing. "I usually just ate cereal for a snack, if we had any, and I was missing out on this." He joked.

"Well now you know of it. You can eat it when you don't feel like making anything big or just a snack." Said Castiel. "I'm sorry I didn't keep you company the whole time. If it's not too late when you're done then we can do something until you have to go home. If you want... you don't have to." He offered.

"That'd be cool," Dean replied, not particularly looking forward to going home. "And hey, you brought me food, I forgive you." He grinned, taking one more apple before turning back the engine, and glancing through it again.

Castiel smiled, "Okay, I think we find something to do." he said. He took an apple and took a bite of it. He felt better now that they were in a better atmosphere.

Dean finally put the battery back in, humming slightly, way happier now that they both were more relaxed. "Well I can come by tomorrow and really get started, I was just checking the engine to see if that's really the problem. I think you're right but if that's the problem then I think I can fix her really easily." he told him. He’ll have to buy the part or find one back home. He was sure there was spares around.

Castiel smiled slightly, "Thank you Dean, that's very good to hear. I really appreciate you doing this." he said.

Dean grinned, waving it off. "It's not a problem. I love fixing up cars anyways and she's a pretty thing." he laughed lightly, he started putting things away. He wandered around the garage a bit to find where things went before he finally was able to put the tools he had away.

"Well you can come back tomorrow, I'm sure she'll appreciate the care." Castiel smiled, gratefully. "You must be really good at fixing cars." he said as Dean walked around the garage. He really seemed like he knew what he was doing and he might have underestimated Dean's abilities, although the bar was low since he wasn’t sure on how to take care of cars anyway.

Dean chuckled. "I've gotten pretty good. I'm glad I was able to fix it. Hopefully you won't have any more trouble after I fix her up, but if you do, just let me know." He replied with a smile, itching his head a little with the back of his hand and wiped a little grease across his forehead before dusting off his hands against each other.

"I'll be sure to remember that." Castiel replied. He picked up a towel and handed it to Dean. "You have some grease on your face and everywhere else." he chuckled.

"Oh, thanks." Dean replied, taking the towel and rubbing his face and hands. "Did I get it?" He asked, looking up at Cas.

Castiel shook his head, "No it's still there." he said. "It's on your forehead in a streak and on your forearms." he pointed out.

Dean twisted his arm around, trying to find the grease and scrub it off. "Am I getting this at all?" He asked, rubbing randomly at his forehead again.

Castiel laughed a little, taking the towel from Dean. He reached up and wiped at his forehead. He gently rubbed it off, getting most of it out. He pulled the towel away and looked at Dean. He didn't say anything right away kind of just stared at him. Again, like earlier this morning, he was caught by Dean's gaze. He felt his heart thudding before he moved back, thinking he was making Dean uncomfortable.

"I got it." he said softly.

Dean froze as Cas rubbed grease off his face, watching him with slightly widened eyes. He swallowed slightly, trance broken when Cas spoke. ' _ Shit, shit, I was definitely staring _ .'

"Oh, right, thanks." He replied gruffly, hoping Cas hadn't really noticed.

Castiel didn't say anything, not noticing that Dean was panicking slightly. He put the towel back down, picking up the empty plate. He put it back on the tray with their glasses before he slowly glanced back at Dean. "Do you want to go back inside then?" he asked

Dean nodded. "Yeah, sounds good." He replied, doing his best to be casual. He wasn't sure, but he didn't think Cas had noticed his reaction or the fact that he had been staring at him. ' _ But then, why'd he hesitate when pulling away? Hm _ .' he pushed the thought away for now.

Castiel nodded slightly and started to walk back inside, "Please turn off the lights and close the door behind you." he asked. He glanced back at Dean, seeing that he didn't say anything about his staring. He sighed softly, walking into the kitchen to wash their dishes. He ran the water and got a bit of soap before turning to Dean slightly and asked him a question. "Anything you would like to do in this house?" he asked, not really sure what to do with friends who come over.

Dean did as he asked, turning off the light and closing the door. He walked over beside Cas as he washes the dishes. "I dunno. What d'you usually do for fun?" He asked, figuring he wasn't the kind of guy that played a lot of video games and stuff.

"I spend a lot of my time reading. My room is filled with books." Castiel replied, setting the plate up and finishing washing the cups. "If you want, Gabriel has game systems and I know how to play but I'm not that great at them." he said. "That's kind of what other kids do right? Play video games?" He glanced again at Dean as he turned off the faucet and dried off his hands.

"Yeah, sure, if you want to." Dean replied, eager to move on and go back to their relaxed mood. He still felt a bit awkward from earlier and he wanted to do something to distract himself. "I might be a little rusty, but I'm kind of a pro at video games." He said jokingly. "Not to brag." He grinned at Cas, stepping around him to quickly wash his hands.

"Not to brag?" Castiel arched a brow with an amused smile. "We'll see if you can live to this ‘pro’ status of yours." he challenged.

"Oh, so we've got a little competition? Should be interesting." Dean replied with a cocky grin, accepting Cas's challenge. "Let's see who the real pro is." he taunted as he dried his hands.

"Oh, we will." Castiel told him. He wasn't exactly good at games but there's no harm in trying. "What game do you want to play then?" he asked, walking them to the open room. "I'll even let you choose what game."

Dean followed him into the room and went to where Castiel gestured to and scanned through his selection, looking for something he'd at least played before. He realized that he liked the competitive side of Cas, liked his confidence. Of course, Dean was also pretty confident, whether he thought he could win or not.

"How about this?" He asked, pulling out a fighting game. "Classic one on one." He said.

"You're on...Winchester." Castiel smirked a little at him, feeling a thrill of a challenge. "Don't complain if you lose." he said, taking the game from Dean and putting it in the console.

Dean arched a brow with a smirk. "Man, you sure are cocky." He said. "So if you're so confident that you're going to win, why don't we make a little bet? Make it a little more interesting." He continued as he watched Cas put the game into the console.

"Depends on what you have to offer." Castiel looked at him, passing him a controller. "I don't mind upping the stakes to make this game a little interesting." he replied.

"Okay, how about if I win, you have to give me a ride from school every day; when I fix your car of course. And if you win then I'll-" he broke off, realizing he actually didn't have much to offer to this. "Well, what d'you want if you win?"

Castiel hummed in thought, "If I win...you'll have to try to do better in school. Deal?" he looked at Dean and stuck out his hand. "Shake on it, if you're going to pull through on this bet." he said. He tipped his head to the side a little with an amused smile, "Or are you going to withdraw the terms?" he asked.

Dean's eyes narrowed slightly- of course Cas would say something sneaky like that, but he couldn't back out, not now... "Fine, if you win I'll put in some effort." He grumbled, taking Cas's hand and shaking it. "Not that you'll win." He added, smirk returning.

Castiel shook his hand back and grinned, "We'll see, best 2 out of 3." he declared. He sat down on the couch and started setting up the game for them. He looked back at Dean, "Whenever you're ready to start." he said.

Dean shook out his hands and rolled his shoulders, preparing himself, before plopping down on the couch beside Cas. "Okay," he said, picking up his controller. "Let's do this." He said determinedly.

Castiel started the game and they started their fighting game. At first Dean was winning most of the time, getting the best hits and kicks on him but he soon picked it up and was evening out with Dean. He was basically randomly pressing buttons and hoping for the best, sometime he remembered combinations but it was mostly just pressing buttons. He kept his commentary to himself, unlike Dean who made comments about almost everything.

"Come on, come on," Dean muttered, leaning and tilting the controller as if that would somehow help as he slammed down buttons. "Yeah, good, keep it up- no! Come on!" He watched with growing dread as Cas seemed to get the hang of it, eventually knocking out Dean's character. "This game is rigged." He decided, glancing over at Cas. "I dunno how, but it definitely is." He said with fake severity.

Castiel laughed, "Blame the game not the player. It's not rigged, you're just bad at this game." he said. "We still have one more round, you can even the scores or I beat you." he teased with a grin.

"Hey, I'm not bad! And I'm definitely going to even the score." Dean informed him with a grin as the second round started. He tapped the buttons rapidly, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth slightly from the concentration. He could win this one, he had to.

Castiel went back to the game, eyes narrowing a little in concentration. He rapidly pressed buttons but to his luck, he lost that round. He groaned while Dean whooped. "There's still one more round, I can still win, Winchester." he said looking over at Dean.

Dean threw his hands over his head when he won, grinning over at Cas. "Yeah, one more round to kick your ass." He said cockily, poking Cas with his elbow. "It's going to be great when I win. It'll be like having a fancy chauffeur and shit." He said with a laugh.

"Yeah yuck it up Winchester. I can still win, don't get big in the head because we're even." Castiel rolled his eyes. Their last round was starting and they went back to concentrating. It was pretty evenly matched, but slowly Castiel got the better of him. He smirked a little as he pressed down more buttons. "Eating your words now?"

Dean grunted in response, standing up and slamming down buttons furiously. He couldn't lose, he couldn't lose! But he did. He was so close, but somehow Cas managed to knock him out. He fell back on the couch with a defeated sigh.

"Damn it. But that's the last time you're ever gonna beat me at a bet, got it Milton?" He asked, pointing at Cas as he set down the controller.

Castiel laughed, looking back at Dean with an amused smile and arched brow. "Whatever you say Winchester. We'll cross that bridge when we get there." he said. He set the controller down onto the table, feeling very happy now.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, congrats and whatever. Even though you totally only won cause the game is rigged." He added with a shrug, failing at trying to fight back a smile.

"Thank you." Castiel replied, looking smug. He laughed a little, "The game is not rigged, you just need something to blame. Sore loser." he teased.

"Hey! I'm not a sore loser! When the game's fair, anyways." Dean replied with mock offense. "Smug bastard." he muttered, glancing sideways at Cas. "I'm pretty sure you hustled me." He added with a grin. He didn't really mind losing- even if it did mean he had to actually pay attention in class now- and he was admittedly impressed at his skills. "But whatever, you won."

Castiel smiled, "That was fun. I really enjoyed that. I can see why people would play video games now." he said. "We should play again sometime." he added. "No bets, unless you want me to ‘hustle’ you again." he grinned.

"Yeah, we should play again sometime. And no, I think I'll lay off the betting against you for a while." Dean joked. "Now that I know your sneaky ways."

"I'm not sneaky. I was pretty straightforward on what I wanted and I did the means to get it. I'm sure you saw everything that happened." Castiel replied. He glanced at the clock it was about 6:30. They've spent about 4 hours together, not counting school. He was thinking about cooking dinner soon but wondered on Dean. He hoped that he didn't have to go home and could stay for dinner. "What time do you normally eat dinner?" he asked.

Dean glanced at his watch, surprised at how quickly time had flown by. "I dunno, I usually just eat when I get hungry, or whenever someone decides to make dinner. I can go, if you want to eat or whatever. I don't want to get in the way." He replied, hoping Cas wouldn't mind if he stayed to eat. The food would definitely be a lot better here than at home.

"I was thinking about making dinner soon and it's normally just me. I was going to ask you to stay for dinner. I hope you don't mind. If you have to go home and eat dinner with your family, I understand. I just wondered if you had to go home and eat." Castiel explained softly..

"Gonna be honest, I was hoping you'd let me stay. I don't even know what I'd be eating at home, but I do know that it wouldn't be as good as whatever you're planning to make." Dean grinned, glad that Cas didn't mind him staying.

Castiel smiled, happy that Dean could stay for dinner. He didn't have to eat alone tonight. "If you don't know what you're going to be eating at home and you don't know who makes dinner, what do you normally eat?" he tilted his head in questioning.

"Uh, I'd probably have..." Dean mentally went through the food he knew they had in the house. "I'm pretty sure we have a bunch of Ramen noodles and leftover pizza." He replied, knowing Cas wouldn't like to hear it, but telling the truth anyway.

Castiel made a weird face, that wasn't anything to eat. He stood up, "We'll just make enough food for you to bring home then. Then everyone gets something to eat." he looked back at Dean with a small smile. He started his way to the kitchen, planning out what he should make. He mentally went through what he had in the fridge and had an idea of what he could make before actually going to the fridge and checking if he had the ingredients.

"And I'm pretty sure I'd be a hero if I brought home real food for once." He laughed as he followed Cas into the kitchen.

"Then let yourself be a hero because you're going home with food for your family." Castiel declared. "If you go home and eat those things, that means they do too and they should eat nutritious food also." he huffed, getting out supplies to cook. He put vegetables into a colander and the meat to the side.

Dean grinned, watching Cas pull out his supplies. "Anything I can do to help?" He offered, knowing he wasn't exactly skilled in cooking but figuring he could probably figure out how to cut vegetables or something.

Castiel looked at him, "Well you can, but I don't need it if you can't. I'm worried you're going to hurt yourself doing something. I assume you can only cook instant things." he said as he washed up the ingredients and set the meat on a cutting board and left the vegetables in the colander for now.

"Hey, putting stuff in the microwave is pretty dangerous and I hardly even burn myself when I take stuff out." Dean replied with a grin. "But really, I wanna help somehow. C'mon, there's gotta be something." He said, really hoping there was. He didn't want to just stand around while Cas made his whole family dinner.

Castiel hummed, thinking of something Dean could do to help him. He figured Dean was careful enough with his hands so he assumed that he would be cautious when using a knife. "Okay, I need you to dice these onions and peel these garlic. If you don't know how to dice, I can show you." he said as he grabbed a pot to boil the vegetables. He moved the vegetables aside after a quick wash then moved the potatoes into the sink and scrubbed them clean.

Dean fiddled with the garlic for a moment before peeling off the outer layers, setting them aside. ' _ Okay. Dicing onions. Right _ .'

He held the knife and stared at the onions for a second before deciding this was definitely a bad idea. "Yeah, I think you'll have to show me." He said with a sheepish grin. He'd seen people do it, but he had a feeling he'd go home one finger short if he tried without some instruction.

Castiel laughed a little, drying off his hands when he finished washing the potatoes. He stepped next to Dean, placing the onion down and cutting it in half. "You cut in vertical cuts about three-quarters up the onion." he demonstrated as he told him. "It doesn't have to be even or precise. You're going to have to cut them up anyways." he said. "Then you turn it to the side and cut vertically again. You cut with the thicker end of the knife. Curl your fingers back to your last knuckle to keep an eye on measurements. You don't have to cut fast, cut as fast as you want." he instructed, cutting it slowly at first, showing Dean. "You think you got it?" he asked.

Dean watched him carefully as he demonstrated; glad he was showing him slowly. "Yeah, I think I can do that." He replied with a nod, taking the knife and slowly cutting the onion. ' _ So far, so good. _ ' He continued at the sluggish pace carefully, hoping Cas had meant it when he said he didn't have to do it fast. He got the hang of it after a few cuts, eventually getting a little bit quicker and more confident.

Castiel smiled a little, not bothered by him going slow. He took out a separate cutting board for the vegetables and cutting them up slightly, making them smaller and putting them in the boiling water. He let them boil for a little bit. He went to cut up the meat while he waited for a few minutes for the vegetables to take a bright hue before he poured them out in the colander. He ran them in cool water before he grabbed another pan to sauté them and set the pot from earlier aside. He didn't have to cooked the vegetables for long, just seasoned. So he waited for the pan to heat up, lightly coating it with some butter, lemon zest, pepper, and a few other spices and gently stirred them around. He turned off the pan after a few moments and put a lid over it to let it soak in the flavor.

He looked back at Dean after finishing that to see how he was doing. He saw that he had mostly finished cutting the onion but there was still a little left."You're doing really well." he praised before taking the peeled garlic and dicing them up.

Dean chuckled as he slowly but steadily chopped them. "Well, you've pretty much done everything else while I'm cutting these, but at least I haven't cut off my finger." he replied, making one final cut. "There. These look okay?" He asked, looking over at Cas for approval.

"What?" Castiel laughed. "I'm not done, I'm just getting the side dishes done. I just finished one of the side dishes." he replied. He looked over at Dean's onions. "Yes, those are perfect. Thank you." he said, taking the cutting board from Dean. "Do you think you can peel potatoes and cut them for me?" he asked. He handed him a peeler, "This should keep you busy while everything else happens." he chuckled.

"Yeah, but you flew through all those tasks and stuff. And I'm pretty sure I can handle peeling potatoes." Dean replied with a smile. Thankfully he'd peeled potatoes before and although he was still a good deal slower than Cas, at least he was able to do it.

Castiel smiled, "I just have more experience, but don't be intimidated. I don't mind that you are going slower, go at your own pace. We have time, there's no rush." he said.

Castiel had the onions and garlic on a cutting board that he would be using pretty soon. He had cut the steak up into cube like shapes and was going to fry them. He had took out a different pan and waiting for it to heat up as he set up a pot of water for the potatoes. He seasoned the steak as he waited and mixed in the spices before going back to the pan, putting a light layer of oil on it and put the garlic and onions in and sautéed them until they were brown. He stirred them around a bit as he waited for the aroma to bloom before putting the steak cubes in it.

Dean barely finished the second potato when he heard Cas put the steak cubes into the pan. He shooking his head slightly at how quickly and efficiently Cas was doing everything. "I'm glad there's no rush. What're we making, anyway? Well, what am I kind of helping you make?" He added with a laugh. It was already smelling good and Dean was eager to try some. He got another potato, peeling it a little more quickly than the one before.

"Hmm?" Castiel hummed, "We're making cubed steak with steamed vegetables and mash potatoes." he replied.

He moved the steak around in the pan a bit before adding a few extra spices. He turned the heat on a lower temperature and added a bit of water so it could make a sauce. He lightly moved them around before putting a lid on it for it to cook the meat a bit more thoroughly.

He looked back over to Dean, "Sound good?" he asked.

Dean's grin widened. "Hell yeah, that sounds amazing. Way better than Ramen noodles." He said, moving on to another potato. The wait for the food to be cooked was killing him, since most of his meals took about 2 minutes to make, but he knew it'd be worth it in the end.

Castiel laughed a little, "It's better for you too." he said.

He started to help peel the potatoes the Dean hadn't so Dean didn't have to wait as long. When they finished, he took the potatoes from Dean, washing them again before he cut them into cubes. He put them in the boiling water so they could boil.

"It's nice to have someone to eat with. I normally eat alone." he told him as they waited.

"Really? Man, if you willingly cooked stuff like this at my house, I don't think it'd be possible for you to eat alone." Dean replied with a chuckle. "How can they just pass up on this awesome food?"

"They have better things to do than to come home and eat. They can just eat at any restaurant they want to." Castiel replied. "It sounds nice to have someone eat with you, let it be a meal or one ordered out. Maybe, if your family likes me when I meet them-- I can come over and cook." he laughed a little, not really sure if that would happen.

"If you cook like this for them, I'm sure they'll practically love you." Dean laughed. "That sounds like I'm bringing you home as my boyfriend." He joked, not realizing it was coming out of his mouth until he heard himself say it. ' _ Shit, did I really just say that out loud? _ '

Castiel paused for a second, taken by surprise to what Dean said. He figured Dean was just joking. "I'm pretty sure they want a pretty young thing, they would be kind of disappointed if you brought me home." he chuckled a little, joking along. He didn’t even think Dean was interested in males, but he wouldn’t know for sure unless he asked.

Dean was relieved that Cas went along with it. "Nah, with baby blues like those I bet they'd be impressed." He replied, wondering if he was making it more or less weird by continuing. Damn, he really needed a filter. "So how much longer 'til it's all ready?" He asked quickly, wanting to move as far away from that conversation as possible.

Castiel glanced at Dean, before looking back at the potatoes. Dean made a comment on his eyes, it was really nice. He looked at the potatoes. "Actually pretty soon, just need to do a few things."

He drained out some water, got a masher and smashed them up. He grabbed butter, milk, and salt. He added a bit of pepper, green onions, as well as a little cheese. He stirred them up and let them cook for a little while longer before he turned it off. "Okay, we're done." he smiled. He went to the cabinets and got out a bowl and scooped out some of the mash potatoes into a bowl. "Okay, you can take these to the table and I'll grab us plates." he said, passing Dean the bowl with a spoon in it.

Dean rubbed his hands together in anticipation, previous awkwardness pretty much forgotten, taking it to the table carefully. "Man, Cas, this smells awesome." He said as he set them down, fighting the urge to scoop out some potato with a finger.

Castiel laughed a little, putting the steak cubes onto two different plates and putting the rest in tupperware. He did the same with the vegetables and finally put the lasting of the mash potatoes into the last container but kept it open so the steam could be let out. He took their plates to the table and he passed Dean some silverware, "Take as much mash potatoes as you would like." he said as he set the plates down. "The rest will go home with you if we don't finish them." he told him.

"Awesome," Dean replied, taking a large scoop of potatoes. "And seriously, thanks. From me and everyone else who gets to eat this." Dean laughed, taking a bite of the steak. "Mmmm." he hummed, chewing it with eyes closed to savor it. "This is so good, Cas. Seriously, if nothing else works out for you, you could definitely be like a chef or something." He said as he speared another cube with his fork.

Castiel laughed a little seeing Dean so happy at eating food. "Who knows, the writing career isn't easy when you first get started. It takes years of hard work and perseverance before someone notices you, if they do. So I might need something to bounce back on." he said, eating the vegetable pieces.

Dean waved Cas's remark away with his fork, swallowing before talking. "Cas, if you can write as good as you do pretty much everything else, then you're not gonna need something to bounce back on. But I'm sure your girlfriend or whatever will love that you can cook." He replied.

"Or my cat will." Castiel joked. "If I do a writing career, a lot of it will go to writing and I can't always spend time with someone. That would be the downfall of my relationships, if I had one." he said. He hadn't thought of what it would be like if he was in a relationship and had to write. He hadn't even thought of being in a relationship.

Dean shrugged. "You just gotta find someone flexible, you know? Like that kind of thing would be fine with me- I don't think I could handle spending every waking moment with someone." He replied. "The downfall of mine would probably be that I'm just generally an ass most of the time." He added with a laugh.

"But you aren't. I don't know why you think you are but you don't act like one." Castiel replied. He moved his fork around on his plate, looking up at Dean. "You are not an arse and you don't act like one, so I don't understand why you think yourself that way. You're a nice person, you helped me today, more than once. That means a lot about you." he told him.

Dean shrugged, moving his food around on his plate. "I dunno, it's just... It's easier to just believe I'm an ass who sometimes gets it right than to try to convince myself I'm a decent person. Cause then when I fuck something up, and I always do, it's... easier. Less disappointing." He replied, not meeting Cas's gaze.

' _ Why was he trying to be so nice? _ ' Dean had barely done anything for him- definitely nothing that an even somewhat good person wouldn't have done. He wasn't even all too sure why he was telling Cas what he thought of himself. It just seemed wrong if he tried to blow him off since he sounded so sincere with his question.

"Dean." Castiel put his fork down looking at Dean, who didn't look up at him. "Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone. You're not going to have a perfect streak in life and you never will, I won't. No one will. You can't blame yourself because something happens and it falls through, it's not your fault. Things happen." he explained. "You might think you're an arse for who knows what reason, but...but all those years of me being bullied, no one had spared me a thought or a helping hand when I was hurt. They all just pretended not to know or watched. I've known you for not even a whole day and you proved me something that no one else bothered to in all my years, someone can care, to reach out and help. Don't sell yourself short, you're worth more than you think you are."

Dean looked up slowly, trying to figure out why in the hell Cas cared so much about him. He'd always made jokes about himself, but Cas was the only one who had actually stopped him and told him it wasn't true. He didn't have any idea how to react to it.

"Thanks, Cas." He said after a moment. "I'll try to remember that, really." He glanced back down at his food and smiled slightly. "It's kinda weird, actually. You've gotten bullied by other people and I bully myself, and we both happen to help each other out." He said, not knowing what to think about the realization.

"Good things do happen Dean." Castiel replied. "Maybe not the time you want it to, but when you're about to give up hope... Something always tells you to keep going." he said. "What kept me going was the thought that one day all of this would be over, I will have moved on, made my own life. No more suffering, no more sadness, just life." he said softly. "I hope you do remember that Dean, you need someone to push you forward as well as help you up." he said. He wasn't sure why he told Dean about himself like that but he felt that it was the only way Dean would listen to him and actually believed it if he said something about himself. They ate in silence for a few moments before Castiel slowly got up and looked back over at Dean. "Are you done?" he asked.

Dean nodded slightly, sorting through what Cas had just told him. The silence between them made him think about it and let it sink in. He glanced back up when Cas asked him a question. "If you can come up with little speeches like that on the spot, you're gonna be a great writer." He said sincerely. "Oh, yeah, I'm done. That was really awesome." He said, standing up as well. "And thanks again for making it. Bobby and Sam are gonna love it."

Castiel smiled a little, "I'm glad you liked it. I hope they feel the same way." he said.

He was going to question why he didn't say his father also but kept quiet, he'd already invaded a lot into Dean's life and opened enough to him, he didn't need to poke and prod anymore. He offered to take Dean's plate, but they just ended up walking to the sink together. There were three containers of food for Dean to take home now. Castiel seemed satisfied that they weren't going to be eating junk.

Once he put the dishes in the sink he stopped for a second before he looked at Dean, "Wait here a second." he said before he went and left and gone to his bag. He came back with another little baggie of the cake he had earlier. He had made a small cake and cut them into 4 pieces, one for Dean, Sam, Gabriel, and himself. He was giving the one he had made for himself to Dean to give to Bobby. "Here. Now all three of you can have desserts too." he said.

"Damn, Cas, how many of those do you have? You keep pulling out pieces of cake from thin air." Dean laughed, setting the cake on top of the containers of other food. "Trust me, they're gonna love it. You better be careful though, if you keep giving me all this awesome food; I'm just gonna start showing up at your house." He joked.

"You're welcome to come over anytime." said Castiel. "Though if you do, please tell me beforehand so someone else doesn't answer the door." he added. "Do you want a bag to carry those in?" he asked.

"That'd be awesome." Dean replied. He figured he could get Bobby to come get him if not, but he really didn't want to explain what he'd been doing for so long at someone else's house. "Do you think you can maybe give me a ride home? I don't know if you can but it'll be nice if you can." he said.

"Of course." Castiel nodded. "Earlier when I went in the house I chatted a little with Gabriel before he left, he left his car here so I can drive you home." He said, getting a bag for Dean. He handed the bag to him so he could put the food in. "When you fix my car, I don't mind driving you to school." he told him.

"Hmm, sounds like a guilty conscious to me." Dean teased as he put the food carefully into the bag. "But really, that'd be awesome. If you don't mind. I really hate the bus." He said, pulling on his backpack and holding the bag of food.

"Why do you hate it so much?" Castiel tipped his head to the side. "And why would I have a guilty conscious?" He asked another question as he grabbed Gabriel's car keys.

"Well, it's loud and it smells, for one. And it takes an extra half hour to get home cause of all the stops." Dean replied as he followed Cas outside. "And I think you feel bad for rigging the game. That's okay, I forgive you." He joked with a grin.

"I did not rig the game, you sore loser." Castiel glanced back at him and laughed a little. He unlocked the car and got into the driver's seat. He was surprised to see how clean the car was for once, but then he saw a receipt for someone cleaning it. He felt bad for whoever had to clean Gabriel's car before he turned back to Dean after he adjusted his seat. "I can take back that offer on the ride if you're going to be a sore loser about this." he teased.

"Fine, fine." Dean replied as he got into the passenger side. "You won fair and square." He said. "At least as far as I can prove," He added with a grin. "Okay, that's all, I'm done."

Castiel rolled his eyes, "Seat belts, please." he said, putting his own on. He put the key in the ignition and started the car, but didn't put it into reverse until Dean did so.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay Ms. Frizzle." He replied, pulling on his seat belt with an amused smirk. "All buckled in and ready."

"Who is Ms. Frizzle?" Castiel asked. "And thank you." he added, putting the car in reverse. He slowly pulled out onto the road and put it into drive. "Where am I going from here?" he asked.

"Take a left and just drive straight for a while." Dean replied. "And how do you not know Ms. Frizzle? Crazy lady with a lizard and a pimped out school bus? Magic School Bus?" Dean asked, looking over at him. "None of this ringing a bell?"

Castiel nodded to Dean's directions. "Is this an actual bus driver at our school that I should know about? I don't know what you are talking about." he replied, turning left and driving straight.

"It's a cartoon, Cas. Man, you've really never seen it? Jeez, I don't even know how to react to that." Dean replied with a frown. "What did you watch when you were a kid?"

"I didn't watch Television as a child. My parents had me tutored. I spent a lot of my time reading." Castiel replied. "Was I missing out on something?" he asked.

Dean stared at him. "Your family is scary." He decided. "And yeah, you were definitely missing out. Man! Cartoons practically raised me, I can't imagine growing up without them." He shook his head slightly.

Castiel frowned a little, "Can I not watch them now? Will the age matter?" he asked.

He felt sad that he missed out on something that everyone else probably knew, it added to things that made him different. He didn't have much of a childhood so hearing the comparison between the two made him feel a bit upset.

"No, I don't think so." Dean replied. "I still watch them when they come on, and they're just as good as they were when I was a kid." He said, realizing that Cas was actually upset he had missed out. Not that he could blame him- cartoons were the shit! 

"We can watch some sometime, if you want. I can show you all the classics."

Castiel glanced at him, "Really? You would watch cartoons with me because I haven't?" he asked. "Classics? Are there different ones now?" he asked another question.

"Of course. And there are new cartoons, but there aren't a whole lot of good new cartoons. All the good stuff got cancelled, pretty much. They still show reruns, though." He added.

Castiel nodded, continuing to drive straight until Dean told him otherwise. "Oh, okay. So do I have to come over to watch these cartoons?" he asked. "I don't really use the television we have at home so I don't know how it works." he said. “It’s one of those smart tv’s and I’m scared to mess with it.”

Dean stared at him. "You don't know how to work your own tv?!" He exclaimed. "Man, it's like we're from two different worlds. Yeah, you're gonna have to come over and watch some. Oh, take the next right and then the first right after that."

Castiel did as Dean instructed, "I'm sorry I don't know how to work my television. If you know how to use yours then we could meet each other halfway on that." he said.

"Yeah, I definitely know how to work mine. Don't worry about it, you can bring snacks and I'll work the tv. Perfect team." He chuckled. "Okay so take the third left and just go straight. It's in a car yard." Dean said, suddenly worried about what Cas would think about his house being in the middle of a mix between a repair shop and a junk yard.

Castiel followed the directions that Dean said, "I can do that. Anything that you would want to eat when I come over?" he asked, following along the straight of the road.

"Anything's good." Dean replied, glancing out the window. "Man, I can't believe we met this morning." He said suddenly. "It feels like a lot longer, y'know?"

Castiel laughed a little, "That's quite true. Maybe we have met in another life." he said. They pulled up into the car yard and Castiel looked around. "So you work here too? There's a lot of cars." he asked.

Dean rubbed at the back of his neck. "Yeah, it's Bobby's place, Singer’s Salvage. It looks better in daylight. Kind of." He said, not realizing what a mess it actually was until now, especially compared to Cas's house. "Thanks for the ride, by the way." He said, glancing over at him with a slight smile.

Castiel looked at Dean with a small smile, "Show me around the lot sometime whenever I come over, it looks interesting." he said. "And you're welcome." he added.

' _ Interesting? Huh. _ ' Dean nodded a little, "Yeah, okay, I will." he replied as unbuckled and put his hand on the door handle. "So talk about the tutoring tomorrow?" he asked.

Castiel nodded, "Yes, we'll set up a plan tomorrow." he smiled.

Dean smiled before opening the door and grabbing his bag and the food. "Alright sounds good to me, as long as we get to watch cartoons after." He said as he got out. "See ya tomorrow, Cas." He added just before closing the door, taking a few steps away so that he could drive freely.

Castiel waved as he put the car in reverse and pulled away. He felt really happy, he actually looked forward to tomorrow. He smiled softly as he drove home.

Dean watched Cas's lights disappear before turning and walking into the house, setting the food on the table. "Sam? Bobby?" He called. "I brought dinner!" He started unpacking the bag with the containers of food and the baggies of cake.

Sam heard Dean call for them before he jogged down stairs, "I thought I was going to starve!" he said as he came downstairs, slightly exaggerating.

"You weren't gonna starve." Dean said with a roll of his eyes. They had food in the house, Bobby always made sure of it but it wasn’t the best of choices. Bobby would sometimes cook if he wasn’t tired, but it was mostly Dean trying to combine stuff into something edible but he mostly just opted for microwaving so that’s what they’ve all been doing.

Sam walked into the kitchen and saw Dean unpacking the food, he glanced at the food. "Dude where did you go? You've been gone for 7 hours." he asked. "And where did you get the food? I don't think any places give tupperware like that." he pointed.

"And I was hanging out with a friend of mine. He made some extra food for you guys." He replied, hoping Sam would be more interested in the food than asking more questions.

Bobby walked in then, looking over the spread he had unpacked. "What's all this?"

Dean glanced over. "Dinner. Eat up, it's pretty awesome."

"Wait you made a friend? This is the first time I've heard you bring up having a friend." Sam asked. "What's he like? Have I ever seen him?" he stopped to look at the food. "He made this?" he added.

"One question at a time, Sammy." Dean replied, grabbing some forks. ' _ So much for being distracted by food. _ ' 

"Yes I have a friend, it shouldn't be that surprising. I don't have any idea if you've seen him, but yeah, he made this."

Bobby sat down, looking over at Dean suspiciously. "So you made a friend, and that friend makes dinner for your family?"

"Guys. It's food, alright? Good food. Less questioning, more eating." Dean replied, exasperated.

"But I've never heard you bring up anything about friends of school. I don't even hear you bring up anything about school. I just want to know." Sam replied as he sat down. "But Bobby is right, you made a friend that went out of his way to make us food too? That's kind of odd." he said. He took the fork from Dean, passing a plate to Bobby.

"I helped him out of a couple sticky situations, okay? It was his first day and he almost got the crap beat out of him, so I stepped in and now we're friends." Dean said.

Bobby looked at him for a moment before shrugging and scooping some of the food into his plate. "Well, that's good I guess. What's the boy's name?" He asked.

"Castiel." Dean replied, almost shortening it to Cas but deciding against it. It was dumb to be protective over a nickname, but he kept it to himself regardless.

Sam arched an eyebrow at the name before trying some of the food, "This is really good!" He commented before eating a bit more. He looked up at Dean again, wanting to know more. "So today is his first day and you spent seven hours with him and he gave you food to take home? Must be some friend you have." he said.

Dean blinked. He hadn't really thought about it like that. "Well, I mean, I fixed his car." He said, as if that explained it all.

"If he gives you food like this every time you fix his car, I hope it breaks more often." Bobby grunted, taking another bite.

Sam laughed a little, but looked back at Dean. "So you meet this kid, first day. You help him from whatever situations, spend more than half the day with him, fix his car, and he cooks you food?" he arched a brow. "You sure you guys are friends? Hey it's okay if you aren't I'm not judging you." he said.

Dean hesitated slightly, trying to think of some smart ass comment, but failed miserably. Damn, he really hadn't thought about it like this. "We're just friends, Sam. Shut up and eat." He said instead, snatching one of the things of cake and focusing on eating it. Of course, it was delicious. Bobby glanced over at Sam, raising a brow.

Sam looked back at Bobby and shrugged, "Are we going to ever meet him?" he asked another question, ignoring what Dean told him.

"I don't know. Maybe." Dean paused slightly. "Probably." He admitted with an inward sigh. Might as well let them know now. He glanced up at them, waiting for some comment.

Sam nodded a little, "Okay, when is he coming?" he asked. He was just really curious on who this person was that brought out a different part of Dean he hasn't seen.

"I dunno, some time this week maybe?" Dean replied. Cas was supposed to tutor him tomorrow anyway, but he had to fix the car so they’ll work it out tomorrow.

"Cool. Can't wait." Sam nodded. "Tell him thanks for the food tomorrow. It's really good." He added.

"Yeah, no problem." Dean replied, finishing his cake and balling the bag up. "Maybe if you're lucky he'll make something tomorrow." He joked as he stood up, tossing the empty baggie in the trash. "Anyway, I'm going upstairs." He said, starting to walk to his room.

Bobby looked over at Sam. "Well that was weird." He commented.

"Totally. All the years Dean had gone to school I have never heard him bringing anyone up. Let alone visits his house." Sam replied. "Guess we'll find it what kind of person he is tomorrow."

"Yeah, suppose so. Maybe it'll be good for him." Bobby replied.

Sam nodded, "Probably, he looked pretty happy when I came in." He said.

Dean plopped down on his bed, kicking a pile of dirty clothes off the corner. He tapped his fingers against his phone, debating on texting Cas. Screw it, might as well.

**Dean:** Sam and Bobby loved dinner.

Castiel had gotten home, not long ago and went straight to his room. He picked up a book along the way and sat down on his bed. Before he opened the book, he got a text message, he picked up his phone and smiled a little. He sent a simple response.

**Cas:** Did they? I'm glad.

**Dean:** Yeah. See ya tomorrow.

Dean sent, leaning back against his bed. It was going to be weird, having Cas at his house, but he figured Sam and Bobby would like him and hopefully Cas would like them.

Castiel smiled a little, sending back the same thing. He set his phone down and got ready for bed. Tomorrow couldn't come sooner.   
  



	2. Can I Catch A Ride?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean helps Cas fix his car and they become a lot closer as they spend time together. They start developing weird feelings and start noticing each other before certain things happen.

The next morning, Castiel woke up a bit earlier than he did usually, feeling a little excited today. He had to cook Dean and him lunches and make himself something to eat. He took his time this morning to make something worth eating and making a pie for Dean like he said he would. He was done earlier than he thought so he slowly got dressed and started walking to school.

Dean rolled out of bed a good deal later, groaning that he had only a few minutes to go catch the bus. He jumped up to go get ready, inhaled a bowl of cereal, and showered quickly before jogging downstairs to his bus stop.

Castiel left his house at 6:45, walking calmly to school. He enjoyed taking the scenic routes to watch nature. He could see that fall was already starting, the trees were changing colors and the leaves falling. The weather was getting cooler. He watched some of the animals prepare for winter, gathering food or seeing the birds starting to take off. He loved to watch the world continue it's routines, it was never boring. He arrived to class before everyone else and sat down in his seat and glanced out the window. He figured Dean would be late so he spaced out while he waited.

Dean sighed with an annoyed tone when he was on the bus, hearing everyone being loud and obnoxious. He assumed that Cas would already be in class when he got there so when arriving at the school he was the first one off the bus. He walked to his class and saw Cas staring out the window. He smiled a little, "Sorry I'm a little late." He said, sliding into his seat.

Castiel smiled at Dean, "Good morning Dean." he greeted. "I knew you were going to be a little late, it's okay. Are you going to help me find my art class today?" He asked.

"Morning Cas." Dean returned the smile a little before nodding, "Yeah, I'll show you. Don't wanna make you wander around all period again." He said with a chuckle. "Oh, and Sam and Bobby are interested to meet my new master chef friend." He joked.

Castiel laughed a little, "I'm just someone who knows how to cook." He said. "Did they say that they wanted me to come?" He asked.

"I think so. They seem really curious." Dean shrugged. "You can come over today, if you want. If we're still not sick of each other still." He added with a laugh. "Oh but we have to fix your car." he added.

"I don't think I would become sick of you. I don't tire of your company." Castiel replied. "Then when I can, if I can, may I come over?" He asked. "Possibly Friday?" he asked. "If you're done fixing the car before that then the sooner." he added.

"Yeah, I don't think I'll get sick of you either." Dean replied. "And sure, Friday sounds good."

The class was starting soon and they just chatted quietly in the back. Castiel laughed a little at Dean as he talked about some shows he has seen and maybe things he could show Cas on Friday. Castiel smiled, nodded, wanting to do everything Dean said. They talked about things they did on their free time and Castiel just told him how on the way to school he watched this squirrel share his acorn with another squirrel and how it was becoming cold soon. Dean thought he was a little weird but slightly endearing on how odd it was for someone to talk about animals like that and seem so happy. Dean talked about cars and how he just liked them. He said they were always easy to fix, that no matter how it breaks you can always fix it. Castiel understood that and agreed. They talked the whole period before they eventually had to move their next class and they gathered their bags and walked into the hallway.

"If I come visit you on Friday, we should cook for everyone." Castiel chuckled a little, "Maybe I should teach you how to cook some things so you can make some meals." He said. He glanced around, seeing that people were kind of avoiding them as they walked.

Dean actively ignored everyone else as they walked. He figured the rumors would have spread by now, and that either meant they would leave Cas alone now or bug him more. Hopefully, leave him alone. "Yeah, that'd be cool. Simple stuff, though." He replied.

"What do you think is simple?" Castiel asked. "I would offer to teach you making hamburgers because you had said you liked them, but that is a time consuming meal to make." He said.

There were people making small comments, mostly along the lines of dating and gay. Castiel looked down, feeling like he was embarrassing Dean. Deans hand clenched slightly on his backpack, but tried not to let Cas see his annoyance. Why couldn't they just leave them alone?

"Burgers would be cool, though, even if they're time consuming. I might get bored one day and crave burgers." He said, trying to joke. Castiel opened his mouth to say a reply but a group were talking quite loudly.

"I heard he was gay." A person said.

"Yeah, heard that he got beat up because he was trying to get a guy in bed with him." Another person nodded.

"Do you think he's trying to get Dean Winchester in bed with him?" The first person asked.

A third person hummed, "Maybe it would give him some type of protection." They said.

"Dean's gay?" The second person questioned.

Castiel felt the embarrassment rise, he clutched his bag. He didn't want Dean to be made fun of because of him. It wasn't true. He didn't look at Dean, but walked a little further apart from him. He didn't want anyone talking about Dean so badly, even if he knew they weren't true, he didn't want people to make those assumptions about him. Dean was a nice person, despite the first impression he got of him. Castiel just pretended to slowly move off the side so Dean seemed like he wasn't walking with him. Dean really, really wanted to sock one of them in the jaw, but knew it would be seen as completely his fault. But why did it matter to them? Why did they even care if he was or wasn't? He huffed, pushing roughly past one of them and closed the gap between him and Cas again, just to prove how little he cared.

Castiel glanced up a Dean, seeing him walk next to him again. "You're not bothered they are going to say stuff about you?" he asked softly. He didn't look up just continued to watch their feet, walking together. He felt his heart squeeze. He was surprised that Dean did such a move like that, he didn't mind if Dean wanted to pretend that he didn't know him. If it meant that people wouldn't talk bad about Dean then he wouldn't mind that Dean wanted to avoid him in the hallways.

"Cas, I don't give a damn what they say about me it you or us." Dean replied, grabbing Cas's shoulder so that they stopped, trying to catch his eye. "Who gives a shit what they think? We're friends, and I don't care what they say about it." He said firmly, meaning every word. He'd gladly endure their rumors and whispering for Cas without a second thought.

Castiel looked up at him, before he looked down at his twisting fingers. "I just...I just don't want them to talk badly about you. I don't want people to hate you, for you to feel hurt. I don't want you to bare that, it's not something anyone should feel." he said softly, feeling the boring eyes of onlookers.

"You're right, it's not something anyone should feel- especially you. But you know what, it's worth it to me. I'd rather have people talk shit about me than stop hanging out with you." Dean replied, catching Cas's fingers in a similar way to how he had in the gym. "So if they're gonna do this, they're gonna do it to both of us."

Castiel felt his heart squeeze again, feeling Dean's fingers in his hands. He didn't know how to describe it but it felt right, like it was supposed to be this way. Castiel squeezed Dean's fingers gently, glancing up at him with a small smile. He couldn't exactly find the right words on how grateful he felt. He looked back down at their fingers giving them another squeeze. "Thank you Dean." he said softly.

"Anytime." Dean smiled, glad he'd been able to comfort Cas. He realized more people were staring now that their hands were together, but it felt nice, and he just didn't care. He returned the squeeze gently before slowly pulling his hand away, realizing they were going to be late if they kept standing here. "Oh, we better get to second period."

Castiel nodded, having a little smile on his face. He could feel the warmth from Dean's hand on his and it made him happy. "We shouldn't be late, you said that you would do better..." he teased a little as they continued walking. He didn't look down at their feet again after. If Dean wanted to be friends with him than maybe he he should try to pretend he was someone who was worth being friends with him. He stood up straight again and set his shoulders back slightly, having the posture that Dean taught him yesterday. They were closer in height when he did that and it was easy to make eye contact with Dean as he talked.

"Yeah, alright, then I guess I won't be late." Dean replied with a grin, genuinely happy to see the shift in Cas's demeanor. He looked so much more confident when he stood up straight, and Dean was glad he'd showed him.

Castiel smiled at him as they walked into class, they took their seats in the back corner. The class started not long after and the teacher was talking about the literature. Castiel had his notebook out, before he glanced at Dean. He wrote something on a piece of paper before giving it to Dean. 'It feels like a long time since we've last been in this class.' he wrote. Last time he spoke in class he got in trouble so he decided to pass notes just to be sure.

Dean read the note and chuckled softly. 'It does. And look how far we've come- I don't have to call you Blue Eyes to get your attention.' He scrawled, passing the note back carefully. He actually liked calling Cas blue eyes, but didn't actually know how he felt about it.

Castiel took back the note and smiled a little, their relationship had changed a lot from yesterday, which was odd since they only met yesterday but they just clicked. He wrote back on the piece of paper, 'It was different to be called a characteristic than something else. I find your nicknames to be very delightful now. They feel personal from you. It's nice.' he wrote back, giving it back to Dean.

'Good, cause I'm probably still gonna use them.' Dean wrote with a grin, glad to know Cas didn't mind- even liked- being called by nicknames.

Castiel smiled a little, 'It's too bad I can't make one for you. Your name is too short for anything.' he hummed softly, thinking of a nickname but only came up short. He couldn't think of one so he just doodled a bee while he was thinking. 'I can't think of one.' he added on the sheet before passing it back to Dean.

Dean smiled slightly at the little bee. 'Well, I can't come up with my own nickname, but I don't mind you just calling me Dean.' He wrote, attempting to draw a bee beside Cas's and failing pretty miserably before passing it back.

Castiel chuckled at the little bee pair. He glanced at Dean with a small smile before he doodled a flower next to the bees, drawing little bee lines for them. 'I can call you Winchester too.' he wrote back.

'I dunno, that might bring out my competitive side.' He wrote with a smile. Cas was definitely better at drawing nature and stuff- Dean could barely draw stick people- but he added a line of grass below the flower to contribute.

Castiel looked back at the picture and writing, 'It might, but if it does. So will it bring out mine.' he wrote back before he drew Dean a bird, a simple one. 'You don't have to draw back if you don't want to. I'm not going to be mad or anything.' he added before returning the note to Dean.

'So we'll both be competitive and win everything.' Dean wrote with a grin. 'Are you saying you don't appreciate my art?' He added, drawing a terrible dog beside the question

Castiel chuckled, 'We can't be competitive about everything.' he wrote. 'And I do enjoy your art. It's original.' he smiled. He drew a rabbit this time, cleaning it's face.

Dean chuckled under his breath. 'Original- that's a nice way to put it. I like yours more though.' He wrote, this time not drawing anything.

Castiel smiled a little, he doodled one last thing. He drew a butterfly. 'Thank you. And it's not a nice way to put it, I like them.' he replied. 'I'm keeping this paper too.' he added, before giving it back to Dean.

Dean smiled slightly at the paper, oddly glad to know that Cas would save it. 'Cool.' He wrote, drawing a little smiley face beside the word before handing it back again.

Castiel glanced at Dean with a small smile before folding the paper up and putting it into his bag. The teacher had finished lecturing, "Okay I want you to read chapter 4 in your economics book and fill out these questions. Due tomorrow." she said. She passed the papers to everyone and walked back to the front. "You guys can talk for the last 5 minutes." she said, sitting down at her seat. Castiel put the paper away in his bag.

Dean stifled the urge the just shove the paper haphazardly into his backpack. 'Trying more. Right.' He stuck it carefully in his notebook before turning to Cas. "So. What's up?" He asked.

Castiel looked at Dean with an amused expression, "We were talking not that long ago, not much has changed from that moment. Though I did see you put our assignment away neatly." he smiled.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, I'll try to remember to do it. A bets a bet, so I'll do my end." He replied. "Even if it sucks."

Castiel chuckled, "That's admirable if you finish things to the end. That's a really good trait." he said. "If you want, we can finish it later today when we have time. I could help you and then you'll be finished in no time." he offered.

Dean nodded. "That'd be really cool, thanks." He replied, thinking it couldn't be so bad if Cas was helping him.

Castiel nodded, putting his bag over his shoulder. The bell was going to go off in a minute. "Next is Science?" he looked at Dean for confirmation.

Dean nodded, pulling on his backpack. "Yep. Let's go learn us some science-y things." He joked with a grin.

Castiel stood up with Dean and walked out of class with him. "So if there are so many lockers, how come you don't use yours?" he asked. He saw that most people stopped by their lockers along the way, while he just kept his bag with him.

Dean chuckled as he followed Cas out. "I don't even know where my locker is. It's just easier for me to carry my shit around. What about you?"

"I've stopped going to my locker a while back." Castiel replied. "It's just easier if I just carry my belongings with me. Also I'm worried of getting lost." He said.

"Well, you'll learn your way around pretty quickly, I bet. And until then, I'm here." Dean replied with a shrug.

"Well I never have to worry about our first three classes." Castiel pointed out. "Only after that I would." he said.

"Eh, you'll figure it out pretty quickly I'm sure. And I can still show you today, if you want me to." Dean offered as they neared the lab.

"Is your class far from my math class?" Castiel asked. "I don't want you to have to go too far out of your way to get me to class." he said.

"It's pretty close actually, just down the hall a little ways. I can show you your class and probably still make it before the bell." Dean replied, knowing Cas wouldn't want him to be late.

Castiel sighed a little, "If it's not too far out of your way, then if you can. Please show me where my class is." he asked, as they stopped in front of their science class.

"It's no problem, really." Dean assured him as he stepped inside, making his way to their seats in the back. So far no one had really bothered them too much, which was nice, but Dean was afraid it may not last all day.

Castiel took his seat next to Dean, taking out another notebook. There was a girl next to him, turned in her seat and glancing at him. "Hi." she greeted with a polite smile.

Castiel glanced up at her, "Hello..." he said back in return.

"My name is Claire. You're Castiel aren't you?" she asked, tilting her head slightly and looked at him curiously.

Castiel nodded slowly, "Yes I am." he replied. He didn't understand why she was talking to him but he found no harm in answering her questions as long as she wouldn't turn out to be like the girl from yesterday, but Dean was here. He was okay.

"You have a really nice name." Claire complimented. "You're like really unique and different, it's pretty cool." she said. "Do you like the school?" she asked.

Castiel looked at her, "I suppose it's better than my last." he replied.

Claire smiled at him, "Yeah? That's good. Do you still need help finding classes? I can help you. You know, you look like the reading type. I could show you the library too." She offered. "Maybe we can go during lunch?"

Castiel tilted his head a little. "It is fine, I already have someone showing me around." he glanced at Dean before back at her, "But thank you for the offer." he said.

Dean watched the exchange as inconspicuously as possible. Was Cas really not getting her flirting or was he actually not interested? And if he wasn't interested in her, maybe he actually was gay. Not that it would be a problem- it actually made Dean uncomfortably hopeful for a reason he couldn't place- but now he really wanted to know for sure.

"Hey, Cas," he whispered, leaning towards him slightly. "I don't think she's actually offering to show you the library, if you know what I mean."

Castiel leaned over a little toward him, "But she just said she was...Did I hear incorrectly?" he asked quietly, but he wasn't sure why they were whispering. Claire looked over at them, but turned toward the board but glanced at them occasionally.

If it were anyone else, he'd have thought they were kidding or something, but knowing Cas, he realized he was honestly confused. "She was using that as an excuse. You know, to get a little alone time with you?" Dean explained, still whispering.

"But why?" Castiel tilted his head at Dean. "Should I ask her to step out of the class? Does she have something to say to me?" he scrunched his brows in confusion. Claire glanced at Dean and Castiel, sighing softly before writing down notes of the lesson.

Dean stared at him for a second, barely understanding what he'd said. "Ask her to step- what, no! Cas, she was flirting with you. As in she thinks you're cute or something. She's interested in you." He replied.

Castiel's facial expression changed as it dawned on him, then it scrunched up in confusion again. "Why?" he asked.

"What d'you mean "why"? You're a great guy and you're, you know, attractive or whatever." Dean replied, speeding up slightly at the end. "And it doesn't really matter why anyway. What matters is if you're interested." He said. 'Moment of truth.'

Castiel tipped his head a little before looking over at Clair who waved to him. He looked back at Dean, "I don't know her. How could I be?" he said.

"Knowing her doesn't matter at first. If you like her at all, then you'll get to know her. Right now it's just about attraction." Dean replied, hardly believing he was explaining all of this to him. He seemed too innocent for this sort of thing.

Castiel looked over at Claire, she was pretty but there wasn't anything that drawn him to her. She turned and smiled to him while he tipped his head. He looked back at Dean, "I don't think I am." He replied. "Is that bad?" He asked.

Dean glanced over at Claire, giving her a small smile in an effort to make them seem less strange. She was definitely pretty and seemed nice enough. But Cas really wasn't attracted at all? Hm. "No, that's fine, you don't have to be."

Claire returned his small smile, but it looked like she already knew. She just looked back to the board. Castiel nodded, "Should I feel bad that I don't?" He asked.

"Nah, it's fine. Everyone has a type, yknow? Don't worry about it. I bet we can find you someone else." Dean offered curiously. He really wanted to know what sort of type Cas was into- there had to be something.

Castiel looked at Dean, "What about you? How come you don't have someone?" He asked, not really sure on why being in relationship was so important.

Dean shrugged, not expecting Cas to turn it around on him. "I dunno, I guess I haven't found the right person." He replied, not thinking of any other reason.

Castiel tipped his head, "Are you not attracted to anyone? You said that you had to be attracted to develop an interest before you get to know them." He repeated.

Dean blinked, suddenly caught by his gaze. "Well, I mean, sure, I guess. But it has to be mutual." He added.

Castiel still looked at Dean curiously, "And if it is, what do you do?" He asked another question.

"You ask them out." Dean replied, thoroughly confused at what exactly was happening in his stomach at the moment.

Castiel scrunched his eyebrows a little, "You ask them out? Where do you go?" He asked. He looked up at Dean trying to figure out how dating worked.

"You can hang out somewhere, eat dinner, see a movie. That kind of thing." Dean said with a shrug. "You know, a date."

Castiel nodded a little, "How do you know if you're attracted to someone? Do you just know?" He asked yet another question.

Dean paused for a moment, his eyes glancing quickly over Cas's features without his permission. "Well, yeah, I guess you just know. Like if you would want to duck into a storage closet with them and make out, then you're attracted to them." He said bluntly.

Castiel lightly blushed, "Oh." He said. "I think I understand a bit better now." He replied. He glanced at Dean then at his fingers. "I'm sorry, that probably made you uncomfortable to explain to me but thank you for telling me." He said.

"No, it's fine." Dean replied, slightly regretting that he hadn't put it in different words. "Now you know, so that's good."

"Have you been attracted to someone and done that?" Castiel asked, looking at Dean again.

"Yeah." Dean admitted after a slight pause. "A couple of times, but they didn't really mean much." He added. So far all of his relationships had been strictly short term and physical. Fun for a little while, but not too long.

Castiel looked at his fingers, "Oh..." He said softly. He felt a bit sad that Dean had but he figured as much. He felt his heart pang a little, but he didn't get why. He twisted his fingers a little, "How can they not mean much? If the attraction was mutual shouldn't there be a connection?" He asked.

"Well, thinking someone's attractive is only the first thing. You have to have chemistry." Dean replied, trying to find the words to explain. "You have to get along and stuff. With them it was just a onetime thing cause it was convenient and they were hot. There wasn't anything else there."

Castiel tipped his head to the side, "So if I were attracted to someone I could make it a one time thing and not have a long term relationship?" He scrunched his eyebrows a little, "Okay, I guess I understand." He said.

Dean winced slightly. "Well, I mean, one time things are kind of frowned on and they wreck that person for you. Like you know Rhonda Hurley? She hates my guts now. So if you're gonna do one time things, I suggest you do it with people you never have to see again." Dean tried to explain. He couldn't believe he was saying all of this to him, but he couldn't let Cas loose in the world being this innocent. He'd get eaten alive.

"Never see again? But if you do something intimate how could you or they forget? " Castiel looked even more confused. "I don't think I understand anymore. Relationships sound so difficult to understand."

Dean frowned, trying to think of a way to simplify it. "Okay, so you've got two things that make you connect with someone- how hot they are to you and how they think. If you've got just the hotness, there's not any real feelings and it's just for fun. If it's just thinking, then it's friendship. And if it's both, it's an actual relationship." He said, thinking it through as he talked.

Castiel nodded slightly, "That makes sense. Can you still find someone attractive and how they think and not have a relationship?" He asked, class was almost over and they spent the whole time talking.

Dean glanced down to grab his bag before looking back at Cas. "I don't know." He replied uncertainly. "I've never really tried. I think so."

Castiel nodded, "Okay. I have a better understanding. It's still a little unclear but I suppose only experience will clear that up." He said, picking up his bag.

Claire put her stuff away, "So you don't need someone to lead you?" She asked.

Castiel looked back over to her, thinking about it for a moment. "I believe I'm okay for now, but maybe you could show me where the library is another day." He said.

Claire smiled, "Okay, just ask whenever." She said happily. Castiel smiled a little and nodded.

Dean smiled slightly. "Good job, young grasshopper." He said, though he felt something uncomfortable about the exchange. 'Not uneasiness, not worry... Jealousy? What? No, no, of course not.'

Castiel looked back at Dean, seeing him space out a little. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Dean snapped back into focus. "Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah." He grabbed his bag, forcing a smile. "C'mon, I'll show you your class real quick."

Dean started walking out of the class first but Castiel caught him by the arm, "Are you sure? You don't look like it." He commented. The smile didn't reach his eyes, it bothered him.

"Cas, we're gonna be late." Dean said, trying to avoid the subject. He sighed as Cas didn't move. "Look, it's nothing. I have to get used to it anyway, so don't worry about it. I'm fine, really."

Castiel tipped his head to the side, "Get used to what?" He asked. He knew they were going to be late but knowing that Dean was going to be okay was more important.

Dean sighed, head rolling backwards against his shoulders before straightening again. "I don't know, man. It's just... It's weird. Seeing you talk to people. Girls." He replied.

Castiel tipped his head to the side, having Dean slowly pull them out of the class they were in. "What do you mean?" He asked confused. "Should I stop talking to them?"

"No, no, of course not. I mean, you don't have to, but you don't have to stop either." Dean sighed, trying to put his thoughts into actual words. "I'm….protective. I don't want anything to happen to you." He said with a frown, looking over Cas's shoulders before briefly meeting his eyes.

Castiel didn't know why but he smiled, "Dean, I'm not going to replace you just because I talk to someone else." He looked up at Dean, "You're not replaceable and nothing will happen to me. If something does, I'll be sure to tell you." He said.

Dean's features softened and he smiled slightly. "Yeah, I know you won't. But it's nice to hear you say it." He added with a laugh. They were both going to be late at this point, but he really didn't mind.

Castiel smiled at him, feeling better that Dean looked happier. He moved his arm from Dean's arm once he realized he hasn't. "We're late again." He chuckled. "I think I'm the bad influence on you." He said.

Dean laughed. "Yeah, you must be. Talking to me in class, making me late- you're turning me into a bad apple." He joked.

Castiel rolled his eyes, "You would use me as an excuse to get out of class anyways." He said as they started walking the scarce hallways. "Besides I'm okay with me making you late today because you looked upset about something and that's more important than me being late to class." He told him honestly.

Dean glanced at him, realizing he was being serious and honest. "Thanks, Cas. That's nice of you." He replied.

"You're welcome Dean." said Castiel. The walk to his math class wasn't far so soon they were standing near the front of his math class, "I'll try not to make you late to anymore of your classes." he smiled. "Maybe if you jog to class, you won't be as late."

Dean laughed. "Yeah, how about I just walk a little faster?" He said, giving Cas a little wave as he turned and headed towards his class.

Castiel waved a little in return before he walked into his class, he sat down in the seat he had yesterday. The girl that had sat down next to him previously had moved to a different seat. He sighed in relief. He thought back to the conversation that Dean and him just had and smiled a little to himself. He didn't understand why Dean was insecure that he was going to replace him, but it made him feel a little happy that he thought that, that he really wanted to be friends with him and was scared of him replacing their friendship.

Dean made his way to his class quicker than he would have, not causing too much of a disruption as he made his way to his seat. He wanted to just put his head down and sleep, but he remembered his promise to try harder. He knew Cas wouldn't know if he didn't, but thinking back over their conversation, he knew that he cared. So instead he listened to the lecture and managed to pay fairly good attention.

Castiel stared out the window most of the class period, having already finish the worksheet he had to do. He looked into the courtyard and remembered that Dean said they would eat outside instead of the cafeteria. He wondered if Dean remembered that, he was thinking about texting him but decided against it. He could always wait outside for him and if he doesn't show in a bit, he'll text him.

Dean packed up and slung his backpack onto his shoulder as class ended. He wondered if Cas had actually made him lunch again.

'Should I text him or go ahead and buy lunch before the line got too long?' He debated for a moment before deciding he'd just go to the tree and see.

Castiel grabbed his bag, leaving before most of the class. He slowly made it outside and wandered to the tree they had designated. It was the biggest tree in the courtyard. He sat down and waited for Dean. It was really nice out today, not hot but it was warm with a light breeze. Castiel sighed softly, closing his eyes to enjoy the weather while he waited.

Dean wandered out and saw Cas beneath the tree. He smiled as he got closer, realizing Cas had his eyes closed. He almost looked as if he were asleep, he was so relaxed.

"You meditating?" He asked with a grin, sitting down beside him.

Castiel hummed a little, blinking his eyes and looked over at Dean. "No I wasn't. I was enjoying the weather." he replied with a relaxed smile. "It's nice out today." he said. He looked down at his bag before opening it and taking out Dean's lunch and his. "I made rice with fried shrimp and there's some vegetables on the side." he said.

Deans grin widened. "That sounds fantastic. I was scared you mighta forgotten." He said, definitely glad that he hadn't. "And it is pretty nice out."

Castiel smiled, "Of course I didn't forget, we made a promise." he said. He gave Dean a fork so he could eat. "This is the weather I like, the one you take a nap outside in." he said.

Dean nodded, "Yeah, I'd love to just lie out here and sleep the rest of the day." He agreed, taking a bite of food. It was, of course, fantastic. "Mm, Cas this is the best."

Castiel laughed a little, "Maybe some other day, when we haven't been on this late streak." he said. He smiled a little, "Glad you like it." he said, picking up little pieces of his food and eating it.

Dean sighed dramatically. "No fun." He murmured, laying down in the grass beside him and taking another large bite. "This is probably the best lunch I've had in a while. Good food, good weather, good company."

Castiel chuckled, "We could, but we could get in trouble. We are more likely to get caught outside than inside." he said. He sat against the tree and slowly ate the lunch.

"Yeah, okay. I guess we'll just have to enjoy it while it lasts." Dean replied as he ate. It was extremely peaceful, eating under the tree, and he could hardly believe that at the same time yesterday, Cas was getting beat up in the exact same spot.

Castiel glanced down at Dean, "You're not worried of spilling food onto yourself? Or choking for eating that way?" he pointed out.

"Meh." Dean replied with a sort of shrug. "I've stayed clean this far. And if I choked, well, this seems like an okay way to die." He said with a laugh.

Castiel scrunched his eyebrows a little, pressing his lips together. "I don't think that would be okay for me though." he said. "That sounds terrible." he added.

Dean glanced up at him and chuckled, pulling himself up to lean against the tree beside him, their elbows touching. "That better? I can't guarantee I won't choke, though." He joked.

Castiel laughed a little, not bothered by how close they were. "If you do choke while sitting, I would just blame that you can't eat properly." he said. "Maybe I'll save you." he teased.

"I'm only worth a "maybe?" Thanks Cas." Dean replied sarcastically, grinning. "I'll remember that the next time you're lost."

"You'll maybe come save me?" Castiel glanced over at him with an amused smile. "Well maybe I'll let you starve." he replied.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you can't even joke about that." Dean replied with mock severity. "That's just going too far." He added, breaking into a grin.

Castiel laughed, "Are you going to leave me to fend on my own? Then maybe we can compromise about this situation. You give me protection and I can provide food for you." he said.

Dean laughed. "So I'm like a bodyguard, getting paid with food. You know, that's actually not a bad deal on my part."

Castiel chuckled, "Neither is it for me. I have someone to protect me and sit to eat lunch with." he said. He bumped his shoulder against Dean's, "That doesn't sound bad, maybe I'm benefiting out of this." he joked.

"Guess we're both getting good stuff from this. Mutually beneficial or whatever." Dean replied with a laugh. "But I guess that's what friends are for and all that."

Castiel smiled, he reached into his bag and pulled out a small container. He handed it to Dean. "Here." he said. It was a piece of pie.

Dean stared at the container for a moment before raising his shocked eyes to Cas. "You brought me pie?! That's it, I think you're some kind of angel." Dean said, taking the slice as if it would vanish before his eyes.

Castiel laughed a little, "I think that's an exaggeration." he said. "I'm just going to assume you really love pie." he grinned.

"Nope. You're an angel of pie. No exaggeration." Dean replied as he opened the container. He took a large forkful, head leaning back on the tree behind him. "Castiel. This is the best thing I've ever had." he told him as he chewed slowly and letting out a breath as he closed his eyes. He was savoring the taste.

Castiel was looking at him expectantly, waiting to see what he'll say. He smiled brightly at Dean once he replied, "Really? This was my first time making it so I didn't know how it was going to turn out." he said. "I haven't eaten pie before and I didn't try it before I got dressed and come to school. I was hoping it didn't turn out to be a mess." he babbled a little. He felt really happy that it turned out so well and Dean was enjoying it.

"Wait, wait, you've never had pie before? And you didn't even get to try this one?" Dean asked with a partially full mouth. "You've gotta try this. Just a bite." He held the container towards him.

Castiel looked at Dean then back at the pie. He was still holding the fork, he lightly wrapped his hand on Dean's wrist and cut a little piece out. He led Dean's hand around like he was holding the fork. He put his mouth over the fork and took the piece of pie. He pulled Dean's hand back as he chewed the piece.

"Mmm, it's a lot better than I thought it was going to be. I thought you were just flattering me." he said, letting Dean having his hand back.

Dean watched in a silent surprise as Cas took his hand gently, guiding it. He was completely absorbed watching their hands and then Cas's lips forming around the pie. It took him a moment after Cas released his grip for him to regain his senses.

"Wha- Flattering? No, it's really good. I wouldn't have known it was your first pie." He replied, clearing his throat a little.

Castiel tipped his head to the side with a small smile, "Really? That makes me happy that you said that." he replied. He glanced at the time, seeing as they got out here earlier than everyone else, they had a lot more time. "Maybe if we finish lunch early, you can show me my art class before our other classes start." he said.

"Yeah, okay, lemme just finish the pie." Dean replied, glancing down to scrape the last few morsels into a bite. He focused on getting every scrap of pie and definitely wasn't thinking about Cas's hand on his, especially not thinking of the way his lips moved and- no, definitely not thinking of any of that.

Castiel put away the empty containers of lunch they had while Dean finished his pie. He glanced at Dean before he leaned his head back against the tree, pulling his knees up a little to wrap his arms them.

Dean scraped the inside of the container one last time- to make sure he'd gotten all of it before putting the lid on it and smiled at Cas. "That was really awesome." He said.

Castiel turned his head to Dean and smiled. He took the container back from Dean and put it away. "Even though I made the suggestion, I don't really want to get up and go to class just yet. It's sad to be inside on such a nice day." he sighed softly.

"Well, I'm the last person who'll make you move." Dean replied, leaning back on the tree beside him. "I'd be glad to just sit here a day."

Castiel laughed a little, "One day maybe. Don't want to ruin the new Dean streak." he teased. "If we just sit here I would probably end up falling asleep." he didn't tell Dean, but he was really awake last night, being excited to go to school. He had someone to talk to, to eat lunch with, he was happy. He was a bit tired though for not getting enough sleep.

Dean smiled "Yeah, but that doesn't sound so bad to me. Just sit out here and sleep." He yawned. "And talking about sleep is making me want to sleep." He added with a laugh.

Castiel laughed a little, "I think if we don't move soon, we probably will." He said, looking over at Dean. He sighed, "It's much easier to decide to do bad than good." He closed his bag and kind of brought it over his shoulder, but he didn't move yet.

Dean glanced over at Cas with a smile. "Why d'you think I skip so often? It's so much easier to not go." He said, putting his arm halfway through the strap of his bag. "But it'll still be nice when we get out." He added.

Castiel nodded, "Yes it should. Though I don't know how you would feel to just sit outside with me, just lying outside." He chuckled a little before shouldering his bag. He looked over at Dean, "Ready to go then?" He asked.

"Dude laying outside with you all day sounds awesome." Dean replied, thinking that it sounded weirder out loud than in his head. "But yeah okay, I guess I'm ready." He said with a sigh, pulling himself up into his feet. He held out a hand to help Cas up.

Castiel laughed a little, "Great it's not just me who thinks that." He said, he took Dean's hand and pulled himself up.

Dean sighed, not wanting to leave but wanting to show Cas where his class is. "Well, hopefully this'll last." He said as they started walking.

Castiel agreed, "It would be nice to keep this weather. I'm not too fond of the cold." He said. "Though I enjoy the snow." He added.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, cause what's the point of it being cold unless there's snow?" He replied.

"I just don't like the cold, I have to wear multiple layers of clothes to stay warm. It's a hassle." Castiel sighed. "But then baking is more fun when it's cold. It makes the house smells nice." He said.

"Oh, sounds good me. Now I have something to look forward to." Dean replied with a grin. "So what's your favorite thing to make?" He asked, meandering down the hall. They still had plenty of time and he was in no rush.

Castiel hummed, thinking about it as he walked slowly in the hallways. "I guess what fits the season. Cinnamon rolls, pumpkin spice pastries, peppermint pastries. I bake a lot of things." He answered. "Though when it does get cold, I'm more of one to sit by the fire place with a book and a warm drink." He said.

"Oh, man, that all sounds awesome." Dean replied. "Sitting by the fire with some hot cocoa and all of that food." He grinned. "Sounds perfect."

Castiel chuckled, "I think you would go into a sugar-induced coma. I would then have to take care of an unconscious you and not feed you sweets anymore." He joked. "I don't make them all at once but if I do bake something, I'll be sure to save you a piece." He said.

"But that's the best kind of coma." Dean replied. "Man, it's too bad holidays suck with your family. I bet you'd make the best food." He said wistfully.

Castiel looked at Dean, "No one is home on the holidays. It's just me. Anna always goes on a trip, Gabriel does whatever he does, and everyone else just isn't home." He said. "I just spend it most of the time reading." he explained as they continued walking. He thought back to his holidays and he just remembered sitting by the ledge on his window with a blanket, pillow, a drink, and a book and just reading until night fell. He would occasionally stop to watch the snowfall but then he would go to bed later then it would be morning.

Dean stopped, catching Cas's shoulder to stop him as well. "You spend thanksgiving alone? And Christmas?" He asked, completely bewildered by the thought. He didn't always enjoy his own family, but he couldn't imagine the holidays without them.

"Is that...is that weird? It just normally happens. I don't really think about it, that's how it's been." Castiel replied. He looked down, fumbling with his fingers a little. "Is that bad?" He asked. He spent almost every year just doing the same routine as he did the day before. He didn't think any of them anymore. He did when he was younger when he would read books about it but then again...they were books.

"No, I mean, I just can't even imagine spending those alone." Dean said, still shocked. He paused for a second, thinking. "If you're okay with my family, you've gotta come over. Not for the whole time if you don't want to, but just so you're not alone." he offered. He just couldn't stand the thought of Cas being in his big house just...alone. When it was holidays for him, Bobby, Sam, and him would at least do something together. Or know each other was home. To have someone just sitting at home alone was saddening.

Castiel glanced up at Dean, "Really? I wouldn't be intruding on your family traditions. I don't want to invade your time with your family." He said.

"Half of our family isn't actually blood family. You'd fit right in." Dean replied, waving if off. "But I guess you should wait until you've met them before you decide you wanna spend that much time with us."

Castiel looked at Dean, "If your family is like you and how you describe them, I'm sure I wouldn't mind spending time with them." He said. "And family extends further than just blood. So I don't mind." He added. Since Dean had stopped him they were just kind of standing in the hallway.

"Hey, and maybe we can have something other than burned potatoes and store prepared turkey." Dean replied with a chuckle, starting to walk again. He thought back of each disaster that happened when they would try to cook something on Thanksgiving, so they settled for just buying food.

Castiel followed in step with Dean, "Maybe not, but I'll need help preparing the food." He said. "It's a lot of food and I've always wanted to cook a large feast." He smiled.

Dean grinned. "A feast, huh? We'd definitely help with that. We usually all make stuff, but since none of us really know how, it just ends badly." He said with a laugh.

Castiel chuckled a little, "I'll be there to help you guys so you won't burn anything." He said, he glanced around the hallways to remember where he was going. They were just walking through the empty halls. "I'm surprised that no one else eats outside." He commented.

Dean followed his gaze and shrugged. "Maybe they don't like sitting in the ground?" He offered. "I never ate outside before now, but I had to buy lunch."

Castiel looked at Dean, "I don't know if you're happy I had gotten you to eat outside. I just used to eat in the classroom." He said. "At least we won't be bothered by big groups of people." He added.

"No, it's definitely way better. Too many people inside, too noisy." Dean replied. "I'm glad you got me to sit out there." He used to just sit in lunch at an empty table and then be bored for the rest of the time after he ate.

Castiel smiled, "I'm glad that you are happy about that." They had found the art class and we're just kind of just waiting around the door.

Dean leaned against the locker, knowing he'd have to leave soon but not wanting to just yet. "So if you wait here after class, I can come this way to go to gym." He offered.

Castiel smiled, "Okay, I can wait for you." He said. "I should probably start going back to my cooking class so I remember the way here."

Dean nodded. "Okay. Think you can find your way there again?" He asked. He wouldn't mind showing him, but he'd probably be late again.

"I think I can do it." Castiel hummed. "I remember the few things in the halls that would lead me back." He said. He tipped his head a little, "Don't you have wood shop?" He asked.

Dean nodded. "Yep. Best class of the day." He replied. Well, when he wasn't in danger of cutting off his finger

Castiel nodded, "Okay, I'll see you in gym then." He said, looking up at Dean. "I'll wait for you here." He smiled a little.

Dean grinned and nodded. "See ya then." He replied, turning and walking towards his class.

Castiel watched for a little before he turned and walked to his class. He felt a bubbling happiness. Dean had offered him to spend the holidays with him and his family. He wasn't going to be alone in his big house.

Dean walked happily towards his class, oddly optimistic. He was still sort of worried about how Cas would react to his house and family, but hopefully it would go well. He didn't want Cas to go alone for the holidays.

Castiel walked into his class and waited for class to begin. He hoped they were making something he could bring to Dean later. Kevin was already sitting in class, just finishing his other homework. He glanced up at Dean who walked in, "You looking like you're in high spirits today." he commented, before looking down at his work.

"Everything's pretty good for once." Dean replied, dropping his bag. "And I'm not going to be distracted today. No worries about losing any limbs."

Kevin chuckled a little, glancing at him. "If you say you won't. So what's up? What's with the mood bounce?" he asked.

"Good food, good weather, good company." Dean replied, smiling. "The kid I was worried about yesterday- Castiel- hasn't had any trouble today." He added.

Kevin arched a brow, "And that's seriously is what uplifted your haze?" he asked. "Alright man, whatever stops you from a trip to the hospital is good with me." he shrugged.

"Yeah, well, it's the little things and all that crap." Dean replied with a half shrug. "And not going to a hospital anytime soon."

Kevin looked at Dean with a curious look, "I don't normally follow rumors, but there are new ones that I've heard and I kind of wonder if one of them is true." he said. "Like I don't know if it is or not and I could be making a huge leap at this, but is it true that you and Castiel are dating?" he asked.

Dean looked quickly up at Kevin, frowning. "What? No. Of course not. He's not- well, I know I'm not- I'm straight." He managed, realizing he was fairly sure but not certain that Cas wasn't gay, based on what had happened that morning.

Kevin looked at him peculiarly, seeing him reply in a flustered manner. He nodded slowly. "Right...well sorry I asked, just wondered if it was true or not." he said.

"No, it's fine. And it's not true." Dean added, wanting to make that much clear. "Damn, I'm friends with the guy for a day and a half and people already assume we're dating." He muttered, suppressing a sigh.

"Dude it's cool, no need to reiterate yourself." Kevin chuckled a little. He looked over at Dean with an arched brow, "I don't know, what they say sounds like you're dating. It was pretty detailed that even I questioned it." he told him.

"What are they saying that's so detailed?" Dean asked, now paranoid. He told himself he didn't care what they thought, but he also knew it could be trouble.

"They said that you guys eat lunch together out in the courtyard, that apparently you defended him on his first day and ran out of class for him, and something about hand touching?" Kevin replied.

"...Oh." Dean replied, realizing that all of that had happened and it wasn't even exaggerated. "We're friends." He said, despite knowing how lame it sounded in response.

Kevin shrugged, "It's cool if you are. You know if your guy's friendship beings up misconceptions, fuck it. If you guys know you're friends then what would it matter if someone else thinks differently? They're not you or your friends." he said.

Dean nodded. "You know what, you're right. Screw them, I don't care what they think."

'As long as they leave Cas alone.' he added silently.

Kevin smiled a little, "That's the spirit." he said. "So what is Castiel supposed to be like anyways? I keep hearing different things and I think you'd be the only person to really know." he asked.

"He's probably one of the nicest guys I've ever met." Dean replied. "Plus he's smart and can cook like a chef. He's a little naive sometimes, but he's got a good heart." He said.

Kevin watched Dean's expression as he tried to explain Cas and nodded a bit as he listened, "Sounds like a good guy. So how come someone like that is getting so much crap from everyone?" he asked. "Did he do something on the first day?"

"That's what I'm saying, he hasn't done anything!" Dean replied. "I dunno why, but people just target him." He shook his head slightly. "He doesn't deserve the shit people give him."

"I don't think anyone deserves to take shit from anyone." said Kevin. "Maybe it's because he looks like an easy target or something, but at least you have his back. Then he won't have to suffer about it alone. It always gets worse when you don't have someone." he explained.

"Yeah. And hopefully people'll back off now." Dean replied, thinking of the guys in gym. "I'm glad he's not alone either." He added quietly.

Kevin caught the last part, but didn't comment on it. He thought of a few things, but didn't voice them out loud. He looked at Dean, "I'm sure you guys will be able to handle it. You guys seem to be a good pair." he said.

"Yeah. Thanks by the way. You're pretty cool." Dean said. It was nice having someone who knew the rumors but didn't actually believe them.

Kevin smiled a little, "Thanks I try." he chuckled. "You're welcome though." he said as he shouldered his bag.

Dean glanced at the clock, realizing class was just about over and he hadn't gotten anything done. Again. So much for trying harder. When it was over, he walked to his next class, hoping Cas made it to the art room okay.

Castiel's cooking class was basically over, they should really rename it baking class since all they have been told to cook is pastries. He put away what he baked today in his bag for later. He put his bag over his shoulder and walked into the hallway. He started walking the way he came from, but got a little confused at some point. He bumped into someone and he glanced over at them.

"Sorry, didn't mean to bump into you. Oh. You're Castiel aren't you?" Kevin asked. Castiel looked at him and nodded slowly, a tinge of fear rising up. "Cool, I'm in Dean's wood class. Heard that he was worried about you getting lost to your next class. Where are you going?" He asked.

Castiel looked at him, knowing that at least he was in Dean's class. "Art." he said.

Kevin nodded, "Take your right and then a left, it should be the 2 door on the left." he said.

Castiel smiled a little, "Thank you." he said.

Kevin nodded, "Kevin Tran, nice to meet you Castiel. See you around." he waved. Castiel watched him go before he walked to art.

Dean sat in his health class as pulled out his phone, wanting to be sure Cas made it. And maybe he made some food too.

 **Dean:** _Find your class okay?_

Castiel walked in the class when he heard his phone go off, he looked to see Dean's text. He sat down at an empty table.

 **Cas:**   _Yes I did, Kevin I think it was, helped me._

Dean smiled slightly. Kevin seemed like a pretty good guy, and he was glad he'd helped Cas.

 **Dean:** _Cool, glad you found it._

 **Cas:**   _Am I interrupting your class?_

Castiel smiled a little. He asked, though he knew that Dean didn't like health.

 **Dean:** _Not at all. It's the sex ed unit- don't have sex or you'll get pregnant and die. That's all they're saying._

 **Cas:**   _I did not know that having intercourse would lead to someone became pregnant they would die._

 **Dean:** _I didn't either, but that's all they're saying about it. Guess that applies to guys too._

Dean typed in his reply with a smirk, laughing a little in his seat from the back of the class. He glanced up occasionally but he mostly looked at his phone.

Castiel arched a brow at his phone. He laughed a little at the absurdity of the thought, there was no way that could possibly happen.

 **Cas:**   _I'm sure men can't get pregnant and die because of it._

 **Dean:** _Hmm maybe you should be teaching this then. I'm pretty sure this guy is just supposed to scare us._

 **Cas:**   _I'm not really qualified to teach but I do know about the topic and if I did teach it, you would be scared._

Dean arched an eyebrow. Cas knew about the subject, really? He found that hard to believe.

 **Dean:** _Well now I'm curious. How would you scare me?_

 **Cas:**   _Do you wish for me to describe you sexual diseases? I'm pretty good with explicit details._

 **Dean:** _Oh second thought, let's not-_

Dean typed, pausing before he sent it. He really just wanted to ask flat out if Cas was a virgin, but figured Cas wouldn't respond too well to that. Hm.

 **Dean:** _I'm hoping you don't know from personal experience._

 **Cas:** _I don't. I'm just a studious student. I don't have much personal experience with that type of thing._

 **Dean:** _Does that mean not at all?_

Dean typed, trying to figure out what else to add to not make it seem weird or anything.

 **Dean:** _Not that it really matters._

'Good enough.' Dean thought before sending the text.

Castiel stared at his phone for a little, what if Dean makes fun of him. He had experience while he has not. He hesitantly typed back, wondering what to say.

 **Cas:**   _Is it bad if I haven't?_

 **Dean:** _Course not. I'm just curious- you don't have to tell me._

Dean replied, feeling sort of guilty. He didn't want him to feel bad.

Castiel looked at his phone, he didn't know why he had this irrational fear of Dean judging him. He didn't judge him on his bullying so there was no harm to tell him. He looked back to his phone.

 **Cas:**   _I don't have any personal experience._

Dean realized he probably should have seen that coming based on how Cas acted this morning when the girl had tried to flirt with him, but it was nice to be sure. He didn't feel as curious anymore.

 **Dean:** _Nothing wrong with that, really._

Castiel sighed a little in relief, glad that Dean didn't make fun of him for it.

 **Cas:**   _So it isn't strange for me to not have any at my age?_

 **Dean:** _No, of course not. There's no age you're supposed to do it, it's just about finding the right person._

Dean replied, He seemed to be teaching Cas a lot about relationships today- though he wasn't the best to ask about healthy ones.

Castiel smiled a little, deciding to tell Dean what he was thinking.

 **Cas:**   _I had this weird fear that you were going to judge me for not having any experience. Though I figured that there was nothing to be scared of, you seemed to have accepted me._

Dean looked at the text for a moment before he replied. He could understand why Cas might be nervous about admitting it, but really Dean just felt an odd sense of relief that he couldn't understand.

 **Dean:**   _Of course I've accepted you. I don't think there's anything you could do that I would judge you for._

Castiel smiled softly at the text. Class was going to be over soon and then they had gym. Castiel was a little worried but not so much, he had Dean.

 **Cas:**   _Thank you Dean. I wouldn't judge you either._

Dean smiled at the text before shoving his phone in his pocket and pulling on his bag. He was one of the first ones out, heading to where Cas would be waiting for him and hoping gym would go smoothly.

Castiel lingered in the class, waiting for most of the people to go before he walked out of the class and waited for Dean.

Dean's easy grin returned when he saw Cas, waiting for him. "Hey, ready for gym?" He asked as he walked up beside him.

Castiel looked up at Dean and nodded, "I think we're starting football today." He said, smiling a little at Dean's easy grin.

"Hm, football." Dean replied as they started walking. "That should be... Interesting, I guess." He chuckled.

"Have you played football in gym before?" Castiel asked. "I heard that you might get a lot of injuries from being tackled." He said.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty intense. Some guys take it too seriously." He replied, frowning. If those guys were pissed from yesterday, this would be too good of a chance to get payback.

Castiel looked a bit worried, "I don't think I'm going to be able to play this really well." He said.

"It's alright. We'll try to be on the same team and I'll help you out. And hey, maybe people won't pick on you as much after yesterday." He replied, trying to be hopeful.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "I hope not..." He said quietly. Now he didn't feel so good about gym. He forgot how brutal it could be.

"Hey, it'll be okay." Dean replied, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Try not to stress." He said, wishing he could say something that was actually reassuring.

They were in front of the locker room, not yet going in. Castiel looked at Dean uneasily, "I suppose I shouldn't. Maybe gym will be okay." He said.

"Yeah, it'll be fine." Dean replied, pushing open the doors. He was admittedly very uncertain, but he'd do his best to help Cas out.

Castiel followed after Dean, moving around guys in the locker room to get to their lockers. He sighed a little at his locker before he unlocked it and started getting change.

Dean glanced over at him as he started to change as well. He'd be fine- right? He realized he was doing a lot more looking at Cas than changing and quickly refocused.

One of the guys from yesterday walked by their lockers, "See you out in the field fairy." One teased as they chuckled. Castiel shuddered, feeling sick. Maybe yesterday wasn't a good idea. He got changed a lot more slowly, not wanting to go.

Dean glared at them before turning to Cas again. "It's gonna be okay. I've got your back, alright?" He told him, casting another glare at their retreating backs.

Castiel glanced at Dean wearily, he nodded a little. He slid on his shirt and closed his locker. He locked up the locker, not able to do anything slower. He looked at Dean and twisted his fingers a little, waiting for Dean to go first.

Dean's frown deepened and he resolved to do everything he could to protect Cas. He caught his twisting fingers, giving them a reassuring squeeze, before turning and walking out of the locker room. It wasn't much comfort, but it was the best he could do.

Castiel calmed down a little, feeling a little better at the gesture. He followed Dean out and waited for the Coach. The other kids were just sitting and waiting. The coach came out and blew his whistle, "Alright we're going to be doing a running warm-up. Run for 2 minutes and we'll do some drills." He said.

Dean felt slightly relieved as they started to jog- safe for now. "So we're just doing drills. Shouldn't be too bad."

Castiel nodded, feeling a bit better. Drills were mostly just tossing and catching, learning runs, and defenses. He jogged next to Dean, avoiding looking at other people. He kept quiet.

"So, uh, how was your first art class?" Dean asked in an effort to distract him. "With me distracting you."

Castiel glanced at Dean, "I don't know. I was distracted." He replied.

"Right, sorry." Dean replied. "But we're gonna get through this period and then we get to go home. So that's, you know, good..." He said lamely, wishing he had a better method of cheering him up as their jogging ended.

Castiel smiled a little at Dean, "Thank you for your effort." He said. "Guess we can only face it head on." He sighed softly, looking over at the group.

Dean nodded. "Guess so." He replied, walking slowly towards the others.

Castiel followed behind Dean. The coach was waiting for everyone to finish, "Alright, we're going to be doing some tossing and catching drills, choose a partner and we'll get started. Come up to get a football when you choose someone." He said. Castiel grabbed the hem of Dean's shirt, just in case he got pulled away by someone else to be their partner.

Dean felt the light tug on his shirt and he turned slightly towards him with a grin. "Just playing catch today. No problem." He said, sticking by Cas so that they'd be partners.

The coach gave them a ball so they could practice. Castiel felt a lot better. He didn't worry as much, they chose a spot in the gym to toss the football. "I don't know how to throw a football Dean." Castiel told him.

"Don't worry, I got this." Dean replied, holding up the ball. "Spread out your fingers and put your ring finger across the laces, with your thumb down below." He put his hand over it to demonstrate before holding it out to him. "Give it a try."

Castiel held onto the ball and put his fingers over the lace like Dean demonstrated. "Then do I just throw it?" He asked. "What are these ridges for?"

"The laces? They used to hold it together or something, but now they're more for decoration." Dean replied. "So to throw, you gotta sort of pull your arm back to your ear," Dean said, gently pulling Cas's wrist back. "And then throw with your fingertips. Alright? Give it a shot." He said, releasing his arm and jogging backwards. "Let it rip," he said, clapping his hands together.

Castiel tried throwing it, but it just went wildly in the air in a high arch. Castiel pointed his brows together, "I don't think I did that correctly." He said.

Dean jogged forward and scooped up the ball. "No problem, try again. Move your arm in like a half circle to throw it and keep your eyes on me." He threw the ball back in an easy arc for Cas to catch.

Castiel caught the ball to his chest. He looked at the ball, putting his fingers back on the lace. He looked at Dean and tried to repeat what Dean did and said. He threw it and it was less wild throw, it wobbled but was moderately straight. Castiel looked a bit happier but he wanted his throws to look more like Dean's.

Dean caught the ball with a grin. "Better! Try bringing your left foot back a little." Dean suggested, throwing it back again.

Castiel looked at his feet, changing it from his feet together to them staggered. He grip the football again, throwing it through. It was straighter and had a small spiral. Castiel looked pleased, he looked at Dean with a smile.

Dean caught it and grinned in response. "You're catching on pretty quick!" He said, throwing it back again.

Castiel caught the ball and they managed to toss it to each other a few times before the Coach blew the whistle. "Okay lineup. We're doing a catching game." Castiel and Dean lined up after everyone, him being behind Dean. The coach held onto the football, "You run out into the gym and the person behind you tosses the ball and you have to catch it." He said.

He called up the student first in line, the kid that called Castiel a fairy. He tapped the ball and the kid ran out and the Coach threw it. The kid caught it and held onto it. The coach looked back at the other students, "Okay, your turn." He said. The other kid jogged back and gave the ball to the Coach. He lined up behind Castiel.

Dean frowned suspiciously at the kid behind Cas as the line continued. He wanted to switch spots with Cas to separate them, but the other guys wasn't actually doing anything yet. Before he could decide on whether to do something or not, it was his turn. He threw the ball to the person in front of him and glanced one more time at Cas before jogging out to catch.

Castiel held the ball and tossed it to Dean, it was straight soft spiral. He smiled a little at how well it went, thanks to Dean. Dean caught the ball and went to the end of the line. Castiel looked a bit nervous but jogged out. The guy behind him gripped the ball hurling the ball fast at Castiel as soon as he turned around. It was a low fast spiral. Castiel wasn't expecting it, getting hit in the stomach. He doubled over, hacking. He clutched his stomach.

The guy apologized, "Sorry, I didn't have control of my power."

The coach called him out, "You're on the football team, get out." He said.

"It was an accident!" The guy retorted.

"Office. Now." The coach gritted.

Dean jogged back over to Cas, frustrated that he hadn't switched with him earlier. At least the coach had called him out. "Cas, buddy, you okay?" He asked, knowing it must've been a pretty hard hit.

Castiel had his arms wrapped around himself, coughing. He groaned, feeling a spike of pain shoot up his stomach. It had missed the other bruise on his stomach but that didn't make it better. He has his eyes scrunched closed as he put a hand over his mouth to stop coughing.

Dean stood beside him, putting a hand on each of his shoulders. "Just try to breathe, okay?" He said worriedly, hoping he wouldn't need to go to the nurse.

Castiel's eyes were watering a little bit from the harsh coughing. He nodded weakly as he tried to take deep breaths in between each cough. Every time he would do that a pulse of pain would go through him. The coach jogged toward them, having let the other kids go early to get changed. Some waited around to see but he shoo'd them away.

The coach came by, "How bad is it? Raise your fingers on how bad the pain is." he asked. Castiel's hand around his waist pointed out, have his hand open and 1 finger up that was around his mouth. "6, do you think you can get to the nurse or do I need to take you?" he asked.

Castiel shook his head before he slowly stood back up, feeling a shock run down to his toes. He groaned as he hunched over a little.

"I'll take him." Dean offered, definitely not wanting to leave him now. He was going to kill the ass that had done this to Cas, that was for sure.

Castiel slowly walked to the door with Dean's help. The coach sighed, watching them go before he went and cleaned the equipment. Castiel walked a lot slower than normal, feeling it throb each time he walked. He had his fingers over his mouth but he glanced over at Dean.

"...Sorry..." he breathed out.

Dean frowned. "Sorry? Why are you sorry? It was that son of a bitch's fault, not yours. And he's going to regret it." He told him, a hint of his anger showing as he helped Cas slowly through the halls.

"Always...helping..." Castiel coughed, the pain wasn't as bad as it was when he first got hit but it still had that stab of pain. "It's a...burden." he finished. He leaned a little on Dean, standing up a bit straighter to get more air.

"Cas. You are not a burden." Dean replied, tightening his grip slightly to help support him. "I wish they'd leave you alone, but it's not because I don't want to help you. I just hate seeing you hurt."

Castiel sighed softly, "Thank you...for helping me Dean." he told him. He found it easier to walk if he leaned onto Dean so he did so. "I think...I might have another bruise." he said, he can feel it forming on his skin under his arm around his stomach.

"Don't mention it." Dean replied. He winced slightly, hating to think of Cas having a painful reminder on his skin. "I'm sorry." He said, hands clenching slightly. "The next time I see that punk, I'm gonna make sure this doesn't happen again." He said.

"It's okay. I don't want you to get in trouble because of me..." Castiel told him. The pain was easing up, so it was easier to talk but the area on his stomach was still sensitive. They were almost at the nurse's office and school was going to be over soon. "School is almost over...isn't it?" he asked.

Dean didn't respond to the first part- he was seriously pissed at the asshole, but didn't want to worry Cas. "Yeah, schools just about over."

They walked into the nurses office and the nurse was up checking over Castiel, "What happened?" she asked.

"I took a football to my stomach." Castiel explained.

Dean had sat him down on the bed, he winced a little at the bend but didn't say much. "Can you lift up your shirt?" she asked.

Castiel did as he told, seeing a bruise forming in a patch, deeper than the one on his side. The nurse didn't say anything but looked at Dean, "Can you please go get your guy's belongings? I'll have him checked up by the time you come back." she said.

Dean winced at his bruise and glanced at Cas, hesitant to leave him, but nodded. "I'll be right back." He promised, leaving to get their things. He changed quickly in the locker room, got Cas's clothes and both of their backpacks before heading back to the nurse's office.

On the way back the guy that tossed the football at Castiel walked out of the office. He looked up at Dean, seeing him coming toward the nurse's office. He glanced in there, seeing Castiel. Castiel didn't notice, neither did the nurse as she checked him over.

He just looked back at Dean, "Sorry about your friend." he said sarcastically.

Deans eyes narrowed and he set down their bags. "Oh you think you're sorry now? I'm gonna make you sorry." He growled, stepping forward and taking a swing at his jaw.

The guy took a step back, "Whoa, no need to get pissy. It's not even your problem." he said. He chuckled, "Unless you have feelings for that fairy, is he your boyfriend?" the guy teased.

"No, he's not, and what would it matter to you if he was?" Dean snapped, hand clenching into a fist again. "You're that much of a dickwad that you have to beat people up to prove you're tough? Cause it doesn't work. We all know what a little bitch you are."

The guy looked at Dean threateningly, "I am not a little bitch, unlike that friend of yours who gets a little hurt and he starts crying. The guy replied, "Go ahead, hit me. They'll believe me over yours." he said.

Dean glared at him, fists itching to make contact with his face, but he knew he was right- he'd probably get suspended at least and then Cas would have no one. "You better watch yourself." He growled, turning abruptly and scooping up their things again.

The guy scoffed, "Right, whatever." shrugged, going.

He knew that Dean would probably actually punch him if he pushed more. The nurse had given him a check up to see anything wrong. It was just a bruise. Castiel looked at the door, wondering why it was talking Dean so long.

Dean walked into the nurse's office, still fuming but trying to calm down. "So are you okay?" He asked, setting down his bag and regular clothes.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "Yes I am okay, just going to be sore and bruised. Are you okay?" he asked, clearly able to see that Dean was revved up compared than to when he left.

"I ran into that ass in the hall." Dean shook his head, trying to clear some of the anger. "I didn't do anything to him." He added.

Castiel smiled a little, "I'm sorry that you are angry, but I'm proud of you for not harming him." he said. He felt his heart clench up, having Dean protect him and being angry on his behalf because he was worried.

The nurse looked in between them, keeping her mouth shut. "You guys are free to go, just be careful. Come back anytime." she said.

"Yeah, hopefully we won't need to." Dean replied, grabbing his bag. "Want me to take your bag?" He offered, unsure of how badly it still hurt.

Castiel looked at him, "Uh, It's fine. I can do it." he said.

The nurse shook her head, "Please just carry it for him, he'll heal faster." she said.

Castiel pressed his lips into a thin line, "If it's not a bother." he asked quietly.

Dean smiled slightly and scooped up his bag. "No problem, really." He replied, pushing open the door with his back for he and Cas to walk out.

Castiel followed Dean, but before he left he looked back at the nurse. "Thank you." he said, waving a little.

The nurse smiled, "See you boys." she said.

Castiel looked at Dean as they walked into the hallway, "Dean?" he said curiously.

Dean paused to let Cas catch up, shifting the bags on his shoulders. "What's up, Cas?" He asked.

"I don't know if you still want to come over since I'm hurt...I probably will not be much of company if you do." He glanced down at his feet, "It's okay if you don't, you can just come another time...and maybe I can visit you on Friday if I ask Gabriel for a ride." he said.

"Cas it's fine if you aren't much of company, but if you don't want me to come over it's okay. I can fix your car whenever, if you need to rest then I'll just finish some other day." Dean replied, looking at Cas. "But if you just want to come over on Friday then that's cool too." he added.

"I don't want to be a bother and I don't want to be annoying." Castiel replied. "I don't want you to think I'm boring because I'm just sitting there." he said, glancing at Dean. "I would...I would like you to come over...It was fun when you did."

"Cas, you're the last person I'd ever think was boring." Dean replied. "And you're my friend. You're not annoying." he told him. "If you're cool with me coming over then I will. You can still talk to me even if you're sitting in a chair." he smiled.

Castiel looked up at him, he stared for a second before a small smile crossed his lips. He nodded a little, "Then...would you like to walk home with me?" he asked. "I might be a little bit slower but I hope you don't mind." he said. "If you would like to get dropped off...that's okay. I'll be there." he told him.

"No it's okay. I'll walk home with you, plus I can't let you like limp home." Dean teased a little but he was slightly worried that Cas might get jumped while on the way home if he was like this so he wanted to make sure that didn't happen. Plus walking with Cas was better than riding the bus home.

Castiel smiled a bit, slowly walking with Dean. Dean carried both their bags and put Cas's clothes away into Cas's bag. He didn't mind walking at a slower pace with him, he just joked and talked as Cas listened and laughed. The mood was a lot better and Dean's earlier anger seemed to die down as they walked back to Castiel's house. This time when going to Cas's house no one was home and they just walked back to the garage after Dean put down their bags. Castiel pulled over a chair and sat down next to Dean as he fixed the car, asking questions about the engine and the car in general and Dean explained to him how to take care of some things and what certain things are.

Dean rambled about cars and thought he was boring Cas but once he looked over to Cas, Cas was looking at him with an interested look, waiting for him to continue. He smiled a little and continued to talk and pointed things out. no one had gave him such undivided attention before without drowning him out. He actually hadn't talked this much in a long time, it was a really nice feeling. Dean spent so much time explaining to Cas about cars that he didn't really get much done and he sheepishly looked at Cas and said he would need to come back tomorrow. Castiel smiled at him and told him he was always welcomed to come over and that he should teach him more about cars.

Dean grinned and nodded, agreeing to that. They went back inside and Dean washed his hands before they started to make food together a little earlier since Castiel told them they could have something to eat while they did their homework. Dean groaned at the thought of doing homework but if Cas helped him, maybe it would go by a lot quicker. Time didn't go by quicker, they were laughing a bit in between each question and Castiel stopping a few times to teach Dean something.

"What don't you understand?" Castiel asked.

"Oh, this one, this question I had in math before but I was so bored I stopped listening." Dean laughed a little.

Castiel sat down right next to him and leaned closer and brought Dean's notebook between them so he could see the problem and his work. He nodded a bit before he started explaining. Dean was playing attention and turned up once he understood and he stopped once he realized how close they were. Cas's head was right next to him and he could see how long his lashes were and how messy his hair was before his eyes accidentally glanced down to his lips and he unconsciously licked his own.

"And that's all you need to know, do you understand it better now?" Castiel asked before turning his head and looking up at Dean. He didn't realize how close they were, he was more concerned if Dean knew what he taught or if he would have to explain again in simpler terms.

Dean's breath caught a little, feeling bad that he got caught staring but froze a bit once Cas's eyes turned toward him and they were just so blue, he couldn't help but just want to stare at them but he barely registered what Cas said to him and he cleared his throat a bit and looked away embarrassedly.

"Uh...Yeah. I do. Thanks." Dean replied quickly, looking down at his notebook.

Castiel smiled, "You're welcome Dean." he said before pulling over his books from the other side and staying where he was, he didn't want to get up again just in case Dean needed more help. He just continued to work as he sat next to Dean.

Dean worked through the problem and the earlier staring was put behind him as he concentrated on the problem. He didn't really understand why he was always caught in by Cas's gaze and that it was almost hard to look away, or why he was staring in the first place. He finished his math work and put his pencil down with a relieved sigh.

"Finally! Done." he cheered a little. He glanced over to Cas before back at his closed notebook, "You know, you explain a lot better than half my teachers. Scratch that, all of them. I understand when you explain." he said.

Castiel smiled a bit as he filled in his last answers and closed his book. "It's because I'm here to answer your questions, your concerns, where teachers have to explain to everyone at once and everyone learns differently. You just need a bit more attention with learning than some but that's okay, asking questions is very good." He explained.

"Thanks for making me seem less of an idiot with your answer." Dean laughed a little. "But you know...teachers just don't care that much." he shrugged a little.

"Few do, but most do not go out of their way to help unless asked." Castiel sighed softly.

"Must really suck for those who need help but don't know how to ask." Dean commented.

Castiel nodded slightly, not saying much on that comment. He started cleaning up the table and putting the dishes up together. "How are you going to get home Dean?" he asked.

"I uh...I'm not sure. I can figure out something. Maybe I can call Bobby." Dean replied, rubbing the back of his neck, trying to think of how he would get home.

Castiel looked at him, "If you would like...Anna comes home in an hour or so, if you don't need to be home right now then she would give you a ride home." he offered.

"Well I mean...I don't mean to be a bother but I'm not sure when Bobby would pick me up but that would be great if you don't mind you know...me hanging around for a little longer." said Dean.

"No of course I don't mind. You're welcome to stay." Castiel smiled a bit before getting up and taking the dishes to the kitchen. He called Anna when he was in the kitchen and came back after a few minutes and sat back down next to Dean. "She said that she would be able to give you a ride home and should be here in an hour or an hour and a half." he explained.

"Alright that's cool." Dean nodded a bit. "What should we do til then?" he asked.

"We can possibly play more video games or...you can try the car again?" Castiel supplied, unsure what to do.

"Yeah I can look at the car again, then maybe the sooner I fix it then you can actually drop me off." Dean grinned a little, joking slightly.

"That is true." Castiel smiled a bit. "I did say that I would drive you to school also, so then you won't need to take the bus either." he said.

"Oh yeah that's right! That would be so great." Dean's grin widened. He slowly started to get up and glanced at Cas. "You know, you can just wait in here. If you hurt then you don't really have to come with me. It'll be nice if you did but if you just want to sit it's okay." he said.

"I want to." Castiel replied. "I haven't actually noticed it...so I can come along." he said, remembering that he was hurt and suddenly the feeling of the dull pain in his stomach was there again. He sighed softly, slowly getting up with Dean. "I would probably be sitting though, again." he told him.

"That's fine. I don't mind." Dean smiled a little. "Is there anything you can do for your bruises? maybe put some ice on it? Take pain meds?" he asked as they walked to the garage.

"Well, I can take care of them later. I'll be fine. They're not that bad. Don't worry about them." Castiel told him.

Dean looked back at Cas and sighed before letting it go even though he was still a bit worried. They went back to the garage and this time Dean actually got some work done on the car but they still talked as he worked. Anna came home about 2 hours later but they weren't bothered, they didn't even notice the time pass by. They drove Dean home and he said goodbye and their days were mostly the same for most of the week.

The only thing that was different was how the school day was for them, there wasn't a bully in gym to push around Cas anymore since he was suspended for a few days. So everyday was almost the same routine. Castiel was doing better with dealing with his anxiety of everyone. He didn't get called on often and Dean was always with him so he didn't feel like weary of school as much anymore. He was able to keep his panic under control and it was a whole new experience for him.

They would walk back to Cas's house after school and someone would drop off Dean. Eventually Dean fixed Cas's car on thursday after a few days of working on it.

Castiel grinned at Dean, "Would you like to start her?" he asked after Dean closed the hood of his car.

"I mean...if you don't want to do the honors." Dean was holding the keys, looking up at Cas.

"You should, see how well you did." Castiel gestured to the car.

Dean grinned before sliding into the driver's seat and put the keys in the ignition and turned it to hear the soft rumble of the car turning on.

Castiel looked at his car happily, "She purrs like a kitten again. Thank you Dean." he said.

"No problem." Dean replied before turning off the car and stepping out. "I'm glad I could get her running. Now your baby is in tip top shape again. If you ever have any more problems, just ask me to help." he said.

Castiel nodded, "I'll be sure to do that." he smiled before handing Dean a towel after he closed the door. "You can wipe the oil off now and we can just relax for the time being." he said as he took back the keys to put up later.

Dean slowly wiped off the oil and handed it back to Cas once he figured he got everything. Castiel picked up the towel and rubbed Dean's arm a bit once he saw a spot and then figured that was okay. Dean didn't comment on it, he was actually getting used to them being so close. If it was anyone else he would be really weirded out but that was just a common thing when Cas and him were together.

"Thanks." Dean smiled a bit.

"You're welcome." Castiel returned his smile before walking back in the house.

They spent the next few hours playing video games with each other and laughing. They eventually had to go cook food and they both were learning how to cook around each other and they talked as they cooked. The only difference this time was that Cas could drive Dean home this time.

"So you're driving me home today?" Dean asked as he put his plate away behind Cas's in the sink.

"Yes I am since my car is now fixed, thanks to you." Castiel smiled a bit.

"Awesome. Glad I could help. So tomorrow did you want to come over? I know we said something about tutoring but that sounds so boring." Dean groaned a little before laughing.

Castiel laughed a little, "Yes I did say that I would tutor you but I suppose all this week I have been tutoring you already, but if I'm allowed to, I would like to come over tomorrow if you don't mind." he said.

"Of course we don't mind. They've been itching to know who you are." Dean rolled his eyes a little at the memory of Sam asking him where Cas was the day after. "Besides I can show you what cartoons are all about tomorrow." He grinned.

Castiel smiled, "And in exchange for you showing me cartoons, I'll be sure to cook. Which reminds me, do we need to go the store beforehand?" he asked.

"You really don't have to. I'm just going to be showing you cartoons." Dean assured him. "But if you want to, you'll probably want more than ramen and peanut butter to work with." He chuckled. "But really, you don't have to."

"But I want to." Castiel replied. "I'm not doing it out of favors or repayment, I'm offering it because I want to do it." he said. They headed to the garage, walking toward the car. He smiled a little at Dean, "Besides I know tomorrow we are making desserts in class so I think they'll be nice to eat after." he added.

Dean grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that." He admitted. "I mean, I'd be fine with dessert alone, but more food would be awesome." He laughed as they approached the car. "So cartoons for food, sounds like a good deal to me." he said.

Castiel nodded slightly before unlocking his car and both of them getting in. "You can help me choose what to cook tomorrow." he told him before starting the ignition and smiling when he heard it turn over and started.

Dean was slightly nervous that it wouldn't work but relaxed when it did. Castiel put on his seatbelt before glancing at Dean and Dean laughed a little before putting on his seatbelt too. Castiel smiled a bit before putting the car in reverse and started to drive Dean home.

"I'll come get you tomorrow since the car is fixed now, plus it would be a lot easier to do grocery shopping." Castiel laughed a little.

"Oh yeah! I forgot, now I don't have to take the bus. Thank god. I hated it." Dean cheered a bit at the relief.

"I know you do." Castiel replied. "I'll be sure to come get you then. Then you won't have to take the bus you hate so much." he glanced a little at Dean back at the road.

Dean smiled, "That'd be awesome Cas, thanks." he said.

"You're welcome Dean." Castiel smiled a little.

After a few more minutes of driving they arrived at Dean's house, "Well I'll see you tomorrow Cas." Dean said as he grabbed his bag.

"Yes, be sure to be up bright and early. I might leave you if you are late." Castiel teased a little.

"I'll try but no promises." Dean grinned before opening the door, "Later Cas." he said before closing it.

"Goodbye Dean." Castiel replied before he closed the door. He waved a little to Dean before pulling out the lot and driving home. Dean watched the headlights disappear on the roads before walking back into the house.

Dean set the food on the table that Cas made before going upstairs, he didn't really want to announce himself so he just went upstairs. Castiel drove home and smiled a bit, he was excited about tomorrow but also nervous. He hoped he wouldn't make a bad impression. They would just have to wait until tomorrow to see.

It was finally Friday, Cas's first week of his new school was finally over. Their school day went the same as it normally did, the rumors were dying down. By next week Cas's arrival will be nothing but old news and he didn't mind in the least. Castiel had picked up Dean that morning and they were a little late since Dean overslept. The school day went by quickly and Dean was really happy about that, and the fact that they didn't get much homework but just in one class. Soon school was over and they were walking back to Cas's car.

"God it's finally over." Dean groaned.

Castiel laughed a bit, "Yes, the week is finally over." he said. "It wasn't that bad. There was a few bumps over the course of the week but I had a good week." he told him.

Dean smiled a bit, "Me too, but more after school than in school." he replied.

Castiel nodded, "Yes, that's true." he smiled before unlocking his car for them to get in.

Castiel looked over at Dean when he got in and Dean rolled his eyes, "Yes, yes I know. Seatbelts." he laughed.

"Thank you." Castiel replied.

"I should really be the one to say thank you cause you're saving my ass if we got into an accident or something." Dean teased.

"Well that's also true, so you're welcome." Castiel looked at him before pulling out of the lot and heading to the grocery store. "Is there a grocery store close to your home?" he asked.

"Yeah, I can give you directions." Dean nodded before he started directing Cas and turning on the music a bit so they weren't in silence the whole time. "And here we are. Let's go get some food." He grinned when they pulled into the parking lot.

Castiel smiled and nodded, "Okay." He said, opening the door and rummaging in his bag for his wallet really fast before he walked around the car to meet Dean.

Dean figured that shopping with Cas was probably going to be strange- he wasn't going to buy Mac-n-cheese for once. "So, what do we need first?" He asked as they walked in, grabbing a basket.

Castiel hummed softly, "Let's make chicken noodle soup." He said. He started walking around, glancing at things. He grabbed carrots, celery, onions, and garlic as he went. He looked at Dean as he checked between two onions on which one he wants more before bagging it up and putting it in a basket. "Do you think we should make a side dish?" He asked.

Dean shrugged. "I dunno, you're the master chef. I'm just here to carry the basket." He joked. "If you want to, go for it."

Castiel looked at Dean, "Do you want something else to eat, I'm just asking for your input." He smiled. He continued to wander trying to figure what else to make.

"Alright, might as well make something else." Dean replied. "The more food the merrier."

Castiel laughed a little, "Are you sure I won't make you fat?" He asked. "I'm not really sure what else to make, oh we can make sandwiches." He perked.

"Hey, fat is good, fat is happy." Dean replied with a laugh. "At least for me. And yeah, sandwiches sound awesome."

Castiel laughed a bit more, "You won't say the same thing when you have a hard time moving." He said.

He moved about picking up ingredients, lettuce, tomatoes, ham, turkey, cheese, and bacon because Dean asked. He was looking through the breads before a child walk by and looked up at him.

"You have really pretty eyes." There kid said in awe.

Castiel looked down, "Thank you." He smiled slightly.

"I wish my eyes were that pretty." The kid commented.

"I think you're eyes are perfect the way they are." He said, he squat down even though it kind of hurt, fishing in one of his pockets. He handed the kid a sucker. "Love who are, there's only one of you." He said softly.

The kid grinned, "Thanks Mr. Blue eyes." The kid said before he took the sucker and went off. Castiel smiled, standing back up.

He turned back to Dean, "Do you eat white or wheat bread?" He asked.

Dean watched the exchange with an arched eyebrow. "Wow, you're really good with kids, Blue Eyes." He commented with a smile. He hadn't really thought about it, but he hadn't pegged Cas as being good with kids. He had to admit, he was impressed. "And let's just stick with white."

Castiel hummed, putting down the bread. "Really? I'm not so sure about that. I'm pretty bad with kids. I just told the kid what I thought. I normally just do that, making me kind of a bad person in children's eyes." he made a small face. "I just had the sucker because I normally always have one on me for Gabriel so it was convenient to give it to him." he explained.

Dean smiled, thinking that was pretty much what kids did too- said what they thought. "Well, you handled that one pretty good." He replied. "And now he's got a pretty-eyed friend who gave him candy."

Castiel chuckled, "I suppose so." He said. "I think we're done with getting ingredients." He smiled. "We're free to go."

"Yes, awesome." Dean replied, looking down at their ingredients hungrily. He walked to the checkout line, pulling out his wallet and counting out some cash while they waited. He was tempted to grab a chocolate bar, but remembered that Cas had made dessert.

"I can pay for this." Castiel gestured to the basket. "You don't need to." he added.

Dean frowned uncertainly. "I dunno, you're already cooking for all of this. And it's feeding three of us and only one of you." He said.

Castiel shrugged, "I don't really mind." He glanced at Dean, "If it makes you feel better. What about half?" He offered.

Dean thought for a moment. "Yeah, okay." He decided, feeling guilty at having Cas pay but also grateful that he'd have some money left. The line moved forward and he split the bill in half with Cas, bagging their groceries and picking up the bags.

Castiel looked at Dean, "Do you want me to carry one of those?" He asked as they walked to the exit. He glanced up and saw the little kid from earlier with his mom. He waved to them but the mother kind of glared at them and pulled him along. The kid glanced at his mom, stumbling after but waved to them after and walking to keep up with his mom. Castiel sighed a little, he looked back at Dean after he waved a little.

"Can I carry one?" He asked.

"Nah, I've got them." Dean replied, figuring the least he could do was carry a couple of bags. "Looks like the mom didn't really like her kid getting candy from a stranger." He chuckled.

Castiel shrugged, "Most of the time it's usually wrong." He walked in step with Dean, "You're pretty stubborn." He chuckled. "I've noticed that." He said as they walked out in the lot.

Dean laughed. "Yeah, I guess I am." He shrugged. "Is that a bad thing?" He asked with a smile, glancing over at him.

Castiel laughed a little, "No I don't think so, a little bit of a challenge sometimes, but I'm pretty stubborn myself." He said. "But I'm willing to make compromises." He said, looking over at Dean.

Dean nodded. "Compromise is good. Not as fun though." He joked as they loaded the groceries into the trunk. "Most of my family is pretty stubborn- I probably get it from them."

Castiel smiled, "Oh fun. I think this should be interesting." He said. "We should do our homework outside today or you can show me the lot." He added. "It's too nice to be inside."

Dean laughed a little as he slid into the car. "Yeah, it will be interesting." He agreed, slightly nervous. "I can show you the lot and do homework outside," he offered, though he was a little wary of what a mess everything was.

Castiel slid into the car and started the engine. "Okay. I'm kind of excited, is that weird?" He asked, feeling a nervous churn and flutter in his chest. It was different. He's figure it was because he'd never been to another person's house on his own accord.

"I don't think it's weird. I was kinda excited when we went to your house for the first time. Now I'm more nervous." He admitted with a chuckle. "Everything's a lot rougher around edges at my house." He added.

Castiel shrugged, "That's fine. I don't mind. It's probably more like a home than mine. Mine looks too perfect, fake." He said. "A house is a home if the people who live there make it a home." He smiled. "You were excited before?" He asked.

"That sounds like a greeting card." Dean replied with a chuckle. "And yeah, I was. Seeing someone's house is pretty cool- I mean, that's where they spend most of their time. And however perfect yours is, mines a mess." He replied with a laugh. He'd never minded it much before, but he really hoped Cas didn't think badly of him for it.

Castiel paused for a second, rethinking his words. "Oh it does sound like one." He shrugged again, "I may have different habits, but I don't mind if yours is a mess, that's home for you. I'm not going to judge you on how you feel comfortable. I would prefer you being honest and as you are then try to impress me or try to change." He said.

"Thanks Cas, I appreciate that." Dean replied as they pulled up towards his house, feeling more at ease now. "So I guess we should bring the groceries in first." He thought aloud, wondering if Sam and Bobby were waiting to meet him. Probably.

Castiel nodded, "I can help you, since you probably have more than you can carry." He said. He reached into the back seat and pulled out their backpacks. They were kind of light. He shouldered one and carried the other in front of him. He just remembered that he was meeting Dean's family members, he felt nervous now. What if they didn't like him? What if he does something to embarrass himself.

Dean got the groceries from the trunk and closed it with his elbow. He freed his hand enough to get it on the knob and gave Cas a smile before opening it and walking in. Sure enough, Bobby and Sam were standing in the kitchen, stopping their conversation as they came in.

Sam stopped, not seeing Castiel behind Dean. He arched a brow and stepped forward, "You bought groceries? Want me to carry something?" He agreed, already taking it from Dean, "Is your friend coming later?" He asked, setting the things down and looking back at Dean.

Castiel peered out from the side of Dean. "Hello. My name is Castiel Milton. I'm in his debt for helping me. I'm very pleased to meet you." He said politely, stepping on the side of Dean to make his appearance.

"Cas, this is Sam and Bobby." Dean said, gesturing to each of them as Sam took the bags. "Sam, Bobby, Castiel." He said to introduce them.

Bobby arched a brow- this was definitely not what he'd expected from Deans friend. "Nice to meet you." He replied with a friendly smile.

Sam put down the bags and put out his hand for Castiel to shake. "Nice to meet you Castiel. Thanks for putting up with my brother." He grinned. "I've heard a lot about you."

Castiel shook his hand, "I think it's the other way around." He chuckled. "I've heard good things about you two." He smiled.

Sam arched a brow, "Dean, you talk about us? Should I be able to talk about you too?" He smirked.

"No, no, I think it's okay." Dean replied hastily. "Anyway, Cas offered to make dinner." He said, definitely not wanting to give them a chance to talk about him- they had too many embarrassing stories stocked up for him to trust them.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "I did offer that, but do we have to do it now?" He asked.

Sam grinned, "Bobby I think we have some storytelling to do." He said. "Any chance to embarrass my brother is a privilege I get." He said.

Castiel laughed a little, "I want to hear some stories." He said.

"Oh, Cas, didn't you want to look around the lot-" Dean started, one last attempt to get them out, before Bobby cut him off.

"You're right Sam, I think some stories would be good. Like the time Dean found a cat in a cabinet and screamed for a solid minute." Bobby chuckled.

"It was dark! That could've been a wolf for all I knew!" Dean protested.

Castiel looked at Dean with such an amused look, "Really a cat?" He chuckled.

Sam nodded, "Oh yeah." He laughed. "Or when he got chased down the street by a poodle." He added.

Castiel laughed a little at Dean, "Do you have a fear of small creatures that I should know about?" He asked with a smile.

"Hey, that poodle was like a hellhound. The thing was vicious!" Dean replied defensively.

Bobby laughed, "And what about when you cross the street because you saw teenagers coming your way? Are they vicious too?"

Castiel chuckled, "I like these stories." He said.

Sam laughed, "He doesn't say it, but he has a secret obsession with Dr. Sexy." He said.

Castiel looked at Dean, "The tv show? Can't imagine that." He grinned.

"I barely watch it, it's more of a casual thing when there's nothing else on." Dean replied, obviously not telling the whole truth. "I mean, it's a good show, alright?" He added under Bobby's dubious gaze.

Sam rolled his eyes, "Right. Whatever you say Dean. You know it's your guilty pleasure." He smirked.

Castiel smiled again, feeling very happy. He felt at peace for some reason. He felt like he fit in even though for only being there for a few minutes. He looked at Dean, "I think they're embarrassed you enough today, do you want to show me the lot?" He asked to give Dean a break.

Sam arched a brow, "You offered him to show him the lot?" He asked.

"Yeah, he wanted to see it." Dean replied with a shrug. "And I think you're right, that's more than enough embarrassment." He said good naturedly as he backed away, opening the door. "C'mon, Cas." He said, ready to get out of there for a little while.

Sam wanted to keep talking but bit his tongue. "Okay, have fun doing whatever." He said.

Castiel smiled and waved to them as he followed Dean out. "They are really nice. I like them." He said. This was the first time going to someone else's house and he warmly welcomed and it made him really happy. He always knew that the people Dean lived with would be very kind, because Dean was very kind himself.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, that was a lot less painful than I thought it would be." He chuckled, starting to walk aimlessly. "So there are a lot of cars." He gestured, not knowing what else to really show him. "Oh, hey, you wanna see the impala?" He asked suddenly.

Castiel nodded, "That's the car you're going to fix up right? Yeah, I want to see." he said excitedly. Dean talked about the impala a lot so he wanted to see the car that he loves so dearly.

Dean grinned, making his way towards a car with a sheet over it. "Alright, this is my baby." He said fondly, pulling off the sheet with a flourish. It looked in fairly good condition, clearly well kept. "I've just gotta finish up the engine and it'll be good as new." He said proudly, glancing over at Cas.

Castiel stared at the car for a second before he walked around it. "Wow, she's gorgeous. What is she a 67'? Are you sure you fixed it up? She looks great." He said impressed and awe.

Dean grinned, proud at the car and impressed that Cas knew the year. "Yep, all by myself. She was practically totaled- I had to pretty much rebuild most parts of her. But she's almost back to her normal self now."

Castiel looked appreciative of the work done on the car. It was really impressive. "You must be really good with cars. She's a beauty now. I would have loved to see her in mint condition." He said.

Dean beamed, sliding his hand across the hood. "Yeah, she was even more incredible before. And you should've heard her purr." He said. "But once I finish, she'll be all good."

Castiel smiled, "Can't wait to see her all done. She'll really be perfect." He said. "We should do our homework before it gets too late." He added.

"I'll let you know when I finish." Dean replied before nodding, definitely not wanting to be out too late doing homework. He led the way back to the house so that they could get their bags, hoping Sam and Bobby had found something better to do than wait around for them.

Castiel glanced in the house after Dean walked in, not seeing Bobby or Sam. "So what do you do in your spare time?" he asked. "Do you just fix up the impala?" he added as he picked up his bag.

Dean shrugged. "Yeah, mainly. Sometimes I help Bobby out with cars from other people to make some cash." He added with a grin, grabbing both bags so Cas wouldn't have to.

Castiel looked at Dean with a huffed face but he dismissed it. He followed Dean back outside, letting him lead. "So you do watch a lot of television? Does this include Dr. Sexy?" he chuckled. "I'm not going to judge if you do say that is your guilty pleasure." he added.

Dean rolled his eyes. "I barely watch Dr. Sexy. Well, I only watch the new episodes and the reruns if I'm bored." He paused. "Anyway, I don't spend hours in front of the tv."

Castiel looked at Dean with a disbelieving face and laughed a little, "Whatever you say Dean." He said. They were walking near a tree before Dean set their bags down. He glanced at the tree, "This tree looks really old." He said.

Dean looked up at it, sitting down and putting a hand on the trunk. "It's been here for longer than I have. I don't know how old it actually is though." He said.

Castiel hummed, looking at it. "The only way to tell is to count the rings in the trunk." he said. "Have you ever tried to climb it?" he asked, looking up at the twisty tree. He sat down next to Dean, opening his bag.

"All the time when I was a kid. I used to climb up as high as I could and just sit there. It had a great view." He smiled, looking up at its branches before pulling open his bag as well.

Castiel had his book in his lap, "If we finish this history homework, show me that you can climb the tree." he smiled. "I would want to see a monkey like you." he chuckled.

Dean grinned. "Then let's finish this and I'll show you." He laughed, now eager to be done. "You think you could make it up too?"

Castiel glanced up the tree, "Maybe. I have never climbed a tree before." he said, looking back at Dean. He had filled in some answers already, unlike Dean.

"What? You've never climbed a tree?" Dean asked, appalled. "Alright, as soon as we get this done, I'm showing you how to climb a tree." He vowed, turning to his paper. "I can't believe you've never climbed a tree." He said. Clearly this was more important than homework.

Castiel laughed, "Dean, you're so distracted." he said. "If I came over tomorrow we could finish it then but since I'm not sure you want to see me that much, we have to finish it today." he said. "We can climb the tree another day if this takes longer."

"Cas, you can come over every day if you want to." Dean replied sincerely. "And if you do, does that mean we can climb the tree now?" He asked with a grin.

Castiel smiled at the first thing before he sighed exaggeratedly, "I guess we can. Not like I could work with such a distraction." He teased as he closed his book.

Deans grin widened, setting aside the work without a second thought. He reached up and grabbed a lower branch, pulling himself and on top. He smiled down at Cas and offered him a hand. "Alright, let's climb your first tree!"

Castiel smiled and set his book aside. He looked up at Dean and took his hand. He grabbed onto the branch as well pulling himself up a little with Dean's help.

Dean grinned. "Okay, we gotta get all the way to the top." He said, climbing up in the next branch and glancing down to make sure Cas made it. He definitely didn't want him to fall on his first tree climb.

Castiel looked up at him and slowly climbed up the next branch as well, doing exactly the same Dean did to get up. "You make it look easy." he commented, climbing onto the branch Dean was on.

Dean chuckled. "I've had practice. I'll help you out if you need it." He offered, starting to climb slowly and steadily up the tree, glancing back at Cas to make sure he was alright.

Castiel had a face of concentration, trying to climb up the tree. He wasn't as efficient or graceful as Dean but he somehow followed after at a much slower pace. When they were near the top, Castiel was doing a lot better, but he nearly tripped off the last branch, making a small shocked sound. He shut his eyes, getting scared.

Dean glanced down, about to make a joke, when he saw Cas with his eyes clenched. He carefully knelt down, extending his hand. "Hey, Cas, I've got you." He said.

Castiel slowly peeped an eye open before he blinked and reached for Dean's hand. He grasped it and tried climbing again. He climbed onto the branch that Dean was on. He sighed softly, not yet letting go of Dean's hand yet. He was still a little freaked and he hoped that Dean wouldn't mind that he was.

Dean kept his grip on Cas's hand, making sure he was steady. "There's one more branch. You wanna go up? We don't have to." He assured him, not wanting to push him.

Castiel looked at Dean, "We've already come this far, I don't really want to turn back now or stop. I want to see this through." he said.

Dean nodded and smiled, giving his hand a squeeze before letting it go to pull himself up on the last main branch, turning and offering his hand again. "The view is awesome. The sun's starting to set." He said as way of encouragement.

Castiel took Dean's hand again and climbed up on the last branch. He stumbled a little and bumped into Dean. Their faces were really close. Castiel stared at Dean for a moment before he stepped back, having his footing again. He moved away a little but kept his hand in Dean's. He turned and looked at the sunset. His eyes widened a little, "Wow...that's beautiful..." he commented softly.

Dean kept his hold on Cas's hand, hardly even thinking of it. It felt completely natural and he grinned at the view. "Now I remember why I used to climb this so often." He replied.

Castiel stared at the sunset, "I can see why, it's beautiful." He said. He looked over at Dean, "Thank you for showing me and teaching me how to climb a tree." He smiled.

Dean looked over at him with a smile. "I'm glad I did." He replied sincerely, struck by how intensely blue his eyes were in the fading light. He realized suddenly that he was still holding his hand, but he couldn't make himself release his grip.

Castiel smiled at Dean, tipping his head to the side a little. He had noticed that Dean had freckles but looking at him now without distraction made him notice a few things. Dean's high cheek bones, broader shoulders, he had more of a square jaw. The last thing was how mesmerizing Dean's green eyes were. They were more like a candy Apple before but in the dimming light they looked like an emerald color. Castiel couldn't help but stare.

Dean wasn't gay. He'd always been into girls- he couldn't be gay, but his eyes glanced down to Cas's lips on their own accord, and suddenly all he wanted to do was kiss him, roughly, and run his hands through his already mussy hair. Dean wasn't gay, yet he found himself shifting closer to Cas, his eyes flickering up from his lips to his eyes to gauge his reaction. He felt a pang of doubt before deciding to hell with it, it was Cas, and quickly closing the gap between them to press his lips against his.

Castiel saw that Dean was staring back at him, eyes shifting. He gulped a little, seeing him come closer. His eyes were glued onto Dean and his body just felt like it was held in place. They were standing so close. Castiel's eyes shifted between both of Dean's eyes, parting his lips a little. Then Dean was suddenly kissing him. He was surprised and shocked. Dean was kissing him and he didn't exactly react at first. He could feel that Dean thought this was a bad idea because he started to pull away. He wasn't sure how to react, but he grabbed the hem of Dean's shirt to stop him and leaned up to kiss him tentatively. He didn't exactly know what to do, but he didn't want Dean to pull away. It felt wrong if he let Dean go.

Dean felt a surge of relief and gladness when Cas grabbed his shirt, and it encouraged him to press against him harder, his tongue traced across Cas's lips, willing them open. His free hand rose to the nape of his neck, tangling in his hair.

Castiel gasped, not used to kissing. He gripped onto Dean's shirt, bundling it in his hands. He slowly and timidly opened his mouth, letting Dean deepen their kiss. He leaned closer into Dean, not really sure what he wanted but he wanted to be close.

Dean's mouth moved possessively around Cas's, more than willing to press against him. He broke off suddenly, green eyes meeting blue, trying to see how he'd felt about that. He kept his hand behind Cas's neck, giving him room to breathe but not much more.

Castiel looked at Dean with a dazed looking, "Dean...?" he said breathlessly. He felt confused on why Dean pulled away, did he do something wrong? Did Dean not like that he didn't know how to kiss? He pinched his brows together a little trying to figure it out.

"Just making sure you're ... okay with this." Dean replied, though he had also been making sure that he was too. A smile tugged at his lips at the confuse look on Cas's face, leaning forward again to kiss him. Yeah, Dean was definitely okay with this.

"Dean? Cas?" Sam called out. "Where are you guys?" he said.

Castiel went a bit rigid, stepping away from Dean to not get caught. He didn't know how relationships worked but he knew that guys being together weren't looked at very kindly. He glanced at Dean before looking away.

Sam saw their belongings on the ground before he glanced up at the tree, "Are you guys coming back in? It's getting kind of late." he said.

Dean jumped slightly, taking a step back and looking down the tree. He cleared his throat with a quick glance at Cas. "Yeah, we'll uh, be right in." He called down, his hand hiding in his pocket as if Sam would be able to tell how only a moment earlier it had been wrapped behind Cas. Castiel had his face turned, not looking at Sam. His fingers were lightly touching his lips as Dean replied to Sam.

Sam looked at them weirdly before nodding slowly, "Okay..." he dragged out before turning on his heels and walking back to the house.

Castiel glanced at Dean, feeling a nervous flutter in his chest. He wanted to say something, he opened his mouth and closed it a few times trying to word something. "...We should start cooking soon before it gets too late." he said softly.

Dean watched Sam go before turning back to Cas. "Huh- Oh, right, yeah." He said with a nod. He was flustered and wanted to say something about what had just happened, but he had no idea what to say. Instead, he crouched down and slid down to a lower branch, looking back up to make sure Cas could make it too.

Castiel sat down on the branch and slowly slid off the branch as well, he stole little glances at Dean as they climbed down. It was faster coming down than climbing up. There was an awkward tension between them. Dean was at the bottom first and Castiel was slowly making his way down. He was on the last branch before he missed his footing again and landed onto Dean. They fell back onto the grass with a soft thump.

Castiel slowly lifted his head up looking over Dean, "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. "I'm a lot clumsier than I had originally thought." he said with a light blush.

The wind had been knocked out of Dean when Cas landed on him, and he wheezed slightly before getting enough breath to laugh. "I'm fine," he replied. "Don't worry, I've fallen out that tree plenty of times. Are you?" He added, lifting his head off the ground a little to look at Cas. The tension broke as soon as Cas seemed to panic slightly over Dean.

Castiel nodded, "I'm fine. I landed on you. You broke my fall." he said. "You're a lot softer than I had thought. Are you sure you aren't getting fat from eating my food?" he arched a brow.

"Hey, I am not getting fat." Dean replied with fake offense. "And 'sides, even if I was," He grabbed Cas suddenly and rolled, pinning him underneath. "I still got moves." He grinned.

Castiel eyes widened by the sudden movement before he looked up at Dean with a huffed face, he tried squirming a little before he sighed. "Dean, that's not fair." he huffed.

Dean chuckled before standing up a bit and offering his hand to pull Cas up."Well, that's what you get for falling on me." He said with a smile.

Castiel had a small smile graced his lips. He laughed a little before he took Dean's hand and stood back up. "I had no control over my clumsiness." he said, stooping down and grabbing his bag. "We should really start, before everyone starves." he said as he gathered their books into their bags.

"Me included." Dean replied, grabbing his bag. He was glad they were pretty much back to normal, even if it did take Cas falling out of a tree to clear the tension. And, of course, there was the whole kissing thing that was new. He was still unsure how he felt about it and how Cas felt about it. He felt oddly nervous as they walked back to the house, afraid Sam and Bobby would somehow be able to tell what had happened in the tree.

They walked into the house together and Sam popped into the kitchen. Castiel glanced up at him as he came in. "Do you guys need help cooking? I'm not really doing anything, just wondering if you guys need another pair of hands." he asked.

Castiel thought for a second, "I don't think so. It should be a fairly easy meal to cook, you can just wait. It'll be done relatively quick." he said.

Dean felt a wave of relief that Sam wasn't acting weird and that Cas had declined his help, not wanting to have the chance of that spilling out or anything. He felt a little paranoid that he might know if he stayed for a little longer. "Don't worry about it, Sammy. We've got it under control. Well, Cas does, and he'll probably make sure I don't screw it up." He said jokingly.

Castiel laughed a little, "We'll be fine. Thank you for your offer Sam." He smiled. Sam nodded a little before he disappeared upstairs. Castiel walked into the kitchen, searching through the cabinets to familiarize himself.

Dean let him explore the cabinets, knowing their kitchen wasn't as nice or fancy as his own, but knew he wouldn't really mind. He got out the groceries they had got and set them on the counter, turning to look at Cas again. "If you can't find anything, let me know. I can probably find it." He said. He felt a bit glad that Sam still showed up in the kitchen first since he kept thinking of what happened back in the tree and he was itching to ask Cas what he was thinking. With Sam coming in it broke more of the tension and gave him some things to talk about.

Castiel closed the last cabinet and nodded. "I think you have everything." He said. He took it the vegetables and colander putting them in the sink to wash. "You think you're okay with cutting these?" He asked, gesturing to the carrots and celery.

"Uh yeah...Got it." Dean replied, moving easily around Cas to get a cutting board and knife. The kitchen wasn't as spacious as Cas's, but it didn't feel crowded with the both of them in it. He started cutting the celery and carrots, progressively faster than he had been the previous nights. He couldn't help but wonder if it was just him who was reacting since Cas seemed to not think anything of it. Maybe he misinterpreted it. He decided to push the thought aside for now, to think about it later when Cas left.

Castiel got a pot of water, placing it on the stove before he went back to the sink and washed the chicken breast. He made another pot to boil noodles. "You're getting better at cutting." He praised, once he glanced over to Dean to see how we was doing as he waited for the water to boil.

"Well, I got a good teacher." Dean replied with a smile, glancing up at Cas before returning his focus to the vegetables again. "It's weird- I've never been a fan of cooking and stuff, but it's actually pretty relaxing." He said, knowing that Cas was the only thing that made it so.

Castiel smiled, "It can be, but it's only better if you're with someone or listening to music." He said. He went through the cabinets again and got out everything he would need beforehand and set them out so they would be easy to reach. He waited a bit longer before the water started to boil and put in the chicken he just cut into the water. He pulled out a box of elbow noodles and waited for the other pot of water to boil.

"What sort of music do you listen to?" Dean asked curiously, realizing he didn't have any idea.

Castiel hummed, "I listen to whatever I think sounds nice. I don't really have a preference." He replied. "What kind of music do you listen to?" He asked as he got a wooden spoon and poured the noodles in. He glanced at the time to keep check, 15 minutes to cook and then he would have to empty them out.

"Rock, mainly. AC/DC, Kansas, that sort of thing." Dean replied, finishing the celery and moving to the carrots.

Castiel pressed his lips together, "If you want, you can play that music in the car when we go to school. I don't really have any music in my car so it gets a little boring." He said. He continually stirred the noodles and let the chicken boil on a lower temperature, stirring it every now and again and scooping out the foam. He had another pan to cook the onions and garlic. He had to keep a hold on it as he waited for the noodles to be done so he could make sure nothing burned.

"Really, you'd be cool with that?" Dean asked. He hadn't thought Cas would like music like that, but if he didn't mind then awesome. He finished the carrots and brought the cutting board over to Cas, watching him go from stirring and cutting. "Need any more help?" He offered.

Castiel looked at Dean, "You can start making sandwiches if you want, it's just assembling after you cut the tomatoes and rip the lettuce." He said.

Castiel continued stirring before he started to warm the frying pan for the garlic and onions. He peeled away the garlic and onions and quickly diced them up and let them on the cutting board before adding a small amount of oil on the pan and letting it sit for a bit. He glanced at the time again before turning off the pot of water for the noodles and gave it one last stir before setting a colander out and turned the cold water on. He poured out the noodles and let it run under the water before quickly turning to the warm frying pan and putting the garlic and onion in. He sauteed them until they were golden and brown, creating an aroma. Once he did that he put it into the water and added broth.

Dean slowly peeled the lettuce so they would be in large peels instead of broken ones then cut the tomatoes as Cas quickly worked around the kitchen. It was starting to smell really good in the kitchen and it made him hungry. He was still at a much slower pace than Cas but he didn't mind so much now, knowing that Cas didn't care.

Castiel added pepper, salt, and other spices to the water with the chicken. He stirred it around a bit before he added Dean's cut vegetables to it last because he didn't want them to be soggy. He stirred it again. He tasted the water to see if it was okay then added what else was needed.

He smiled and offered a taste to Dean, "Taste okay?" He asked, holding it a ladle with soup in it.

Dean glanced up from preparing a sandwich, taking Cas's wrist and moving the ladle to his lips. He took a small sip at first, then turned Cas's hand to drink the rest of the ladle. "That's the best soup I've ever had." He affirmed.

Castiel stared a little, he subconsciously licked the side of his lip. "You think that all the food I made so far is the best." He said, unsure how to react to Dean's actions. He was unsure how to go about any of his actions. He was trying to act normal since dean was but he couldn't help but be more aware of Dean's actions.

"That's cause it all is." Dean replied softly, the corner of his mouth curving into a half smile. His eyes looked slowly across his face, drinking in his features while he had a hold on his wrist. He was wondering what Cas was thinking about but also how he felt about all of this. It was really different for him, he wasn't sure if he was uncomfortable with it. He was actually used to being this close to Cas, but the kiss is what threw him off. Was he okay with it? Cas didn't seem to be avoiding him, so what was he thinking about?

Castiel nodded a little spacing out for a moment. He smiled slightly at Dean before turning down the stove a little. "Thank you." He said. "...I think we should finish those sandwiches before you distract me anymore."

Dean grinned, turning back to the sandwiches. "You're lucky I'm hungry, I think I'm starting to like distracting you." He said jokingly.

Castiel rolled his eyes, "If you distract me any further and we'll have burnt food." He said. He just watched Dean finish the sandwiches, not bothering to help. He turned off the stove after a few more moments..

Dean just chuckled, putting together the last sandwich and holding the plate up for Cas to see. "Look good, masterchef?" He asked, picking up a leftover sliver if tomato and eating it.

Castiel laughed a little, "Yes it does." He said taking the plate. "Thank you for helping." He smiled. "Now if you want to call them down you eat that would be nice." He added.

"I can't just eat it all myself?" Dean joked before sticking his head out of the kitchen. "Sam! Bobby! Dinners ready!" He called, turning back to pull some spoons out of a drawer.

Bobby came in a few moments later, brows raised. "I'm impressed, that smells really good."

Sam jogged down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. "Wow I'm surprised. I thought that Dean was joking." He said.

Castiel smiled a little, "No I really can cook." He said.

Sam nodded, "Surprised that you cooking with Dean didn't burn down the kitchen." He said.

Dean rolled his eyes. "I came pretty close, but somehow everything survived." He said sarcastically. "Now how about we stop insulting the co-chef or whatever and eat." He added, gesturing towards the food.

"Sounds fine to me." Bobby replied. "We can make fun of you any time, but we don't want the soup getting cold." He joked.

Castiel smiled, "You can take the pasta out of the colander and just ladle in the soup. Then Dean made the sandwiches." He gestured.

Sam smiled, "Sounds great, thanks Cas, Dean." He said.

They went to grab their food. Castiel picked up food they were all sitting at the table, Dean wasted no time digging in. He managed to not inhale it, though it was tempting to just wolf it all down.

Bobby got a spoonful of soup, somewhat dubious about how good soup could actually be. He hummed and raised his brow, surprised at how good it is. "This is really good. You've got some real talent." He said to Cas

Castiel smiled bashfully, "Thank you." he said.

Sam swallowed the bite of food he was chewing on before he nodded, "Yeah, this is really good. Where did you learn to cook?" he asked, glancing up as he took another spoonful.

"Just reading cook books and trying." Castiel replied. He ate smaller bites than Dean as they ate.

Sam arched a brow, "Really? Guess Dean's lucky that he can find someone to feed him." he laughed a little.

"Yeah, lucky to have him and generous that I brought him to cook for you." Dean joked, pointing his spoon at Sam. He glanced over at Cas with a smile, realizing that he was pretty lucky to have somehow snagged Cas for himself. He hoped he didn't ruin anything with him. Bobby rolled his eyes at Dean's comment.

Sam rolled his eyes as well, "Yeah whatever. Thanks Cas." He said. "So what is Dean like in school? He never talks about it." He said.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "He's a little distracting, but he's doing fine. He's doing his work now, that's something."

Bobby arched a brow. "He's doing his work now? What changed?" He asked, glancing for Dean to Cas.

Dean made a face, stifling a sigh. He never liked talking about school when he was home. "I lost a bet." He said vaguely.

Sam looked at Dean, "You lost a bet? Wait, lemme guess, it was a bet with Cas and he bet you to do homework now." he said. It seemed like the obvious response looking at Dean and Cas.

Castiel nodded, "I'm helping him of course but he is just putting more effort in." he said. He glanced at Dean and gave him a small smile.

Sam raised both his eyebrows, "I'm impressed. Don't really know who you are Cas, but I hope you stick around." he smiled.

Castiel glanced at Sam, "I hope I do too." he said softly, thinking that he shouldn't do anything wrong to make Dean mad at him or something.

Bobby shook his head slightly, surprised. "You cook and get Dean to do school work- I hope you do too." He said with a chuckle.

Dean glanced over at Cas and smiled slightly, feeling somewhat glad they liked him, especially since he definitely wanted him to stick around too, but still weary on how their status with each other now is like. "Yep, Cas gets me to do homework and cooks dinner, I fix his car." He said, looking back over at Sam with a smirk. He had to think about it later, maybe they can brush it off as if nothing happened since neither of them were talking about it or acting like it mattered.

Sam arched a brow, "Well that's a decent exchange I suppose." he said.

"He helps me in school too, not in regards to studies though." Castiel replied.

Sam looked at Castiel, "Oh that's right, Dean said he helped you on your first day. What happened?" he asked.

"Cas got in a little disagreement, I helped him out." Dean said, not sure how much detail he should give, for his sake and Cas's. "It wasn't a big deal, really." He added.

Bobby frowned slightly, "It must've been more than just some disagreement."

"Some people do not accept humility as well as others. Hurting someone's pride is what fuels anger." Castiel replied. He got up out of his seat and went over to his bag.

Sam thought that he felt insulted and was going to leave but he just went to his bag. Castiel pulled out a small container and came back to the table, "I made these cinnamon bites in class today. You're welcome to eat them." he said, putting the container down.

Dean grinned, forgetting their conversation in favor of dessert. "Cinnamon bites? That sounds awesome." He said, helping himself to some. "Thanks, Cas." He added before he took a bite. "Mmm, these are fantastic. Almost as good as the pie."

Bobby looked at him questioningly as he got a few for himself. "How much are you making him feed you, Dean?" He asked with a chuckle.

Castiel laughed a little, "He had said that he would be okay dying fat or dying because of eating." he said.

Sam took one and ate it, he nodded his head. "I think I would be okay with that too. These are great." he commented.

Castiel smiled, "I made more than I was told so I can bring them here." he said.

"I don't think any of us would mind dying from this." Dean grinned, taking another.

Bobby chuckled, "There are worse ways to go." He agreed. "And you're more than welcome to bring any extras this way." He added.

Castiel laughed, "I'll be sure to remember that, though you guys probably won't get extras but probably what I cooked originally. No one at my house eats what I make so I normally only make a little." he said. "You guys are actually saving me from throwing away food." he added.

Sam looked at Castiel in disbelief, "No one eats it? How could they not?" he asked.

Castiel shrugged a little, "They just don't." he replied. He frowned a little, noticing how weird his family was since this was the second time made a comment about it. he just didn't think a lot of it because that's just how things were but clearly that's not how they should be.

Dean frowned slightly, knowing that they'd be curious but that Cas wouldn't want to talk about his family. "Well, their loss, our gain." He said, hoping to end the conversation there.

Bobby nodded. "You're welcome here anytime." He offered.

Sam agreed, "Yeah, you're welcome to swing by anytime you like. We can tell you more stories about Dean." he smirked.

Castiel smiled, "Thank you, that's very kind." he said. "I'll be sure to remember that." he added.

Sam smiled a little before he glanced at the time, "Did you have a time you needed to be home?" he asked.

Castiel shook his head, "I don't, but if I'm getting in the way I can leave." he said.

"You're not in the way." Dean replied immediately. "You can stay as long as you want, right Bobby?" Bobby nodded, figuring that Cas was definitely a good influence on Dean.

"See? Stay as long as you want. But maybe we can skip the stories." Dean added with a glance at Sam.

Sam rolled his eyes, "Fine...but we always have another time." he quickly said.

Castiel smiled, "Yes we do. I would like to hear more." he chuckled.

They were just sitting around the table chatting, all done eating. Sam was the first to get up, putting his plate in the sink. "Well you guys can do whatever, I'm going to go finish my paper." he said.

Castiel looked at him, "I heard that you were quite the student, aiming for Stanford I believe?" he asked.

Sam nodded, glancing at Dean before back to Castiel, "Yeah, I'm going into law. So I have to study a lot." he said.

Castiel nodded, "Good luck on your studies then." he smiled.

Sam returned his smile, "Thanks and thanks for the food." he waved before going upstairs.

Bobby got up next and put his dishes with Sam's. "It was a pleasure to meet you, and thanks for dinner. Keep an eye in Dean for me, will you?" He asked, breaking into a smile as Dean rolled his eyes before going upstairs.

Dean waited until he was gone before turning to Cas. "So. What'd you think?"

"I think they like me or at least from what I gathered they do." he said. He looked over at Dean, "I feel comfortable here, it's nice. Is that weird? I've only been here once. Well inside, once." he said.

Dean grinned. "No, I'm glad you're comfortable." He replied sincerely, hoping he meant more than just the house."I could show you around a little, but there's not much else besides my room and the living room. And yeah, I think they like you too." He added with a light laugh.

Castiel smiled, "I would love to see around your house." he said.

Castiel closed the small container and picked up the dishes he was using. They both got up and put it in the sink. Castiel had offered to wash them but Dean dismissed it for later. Castiel pinched his brows together a little before he nodded. "You can show me around then." he said.

"Alright, here's the living room." Dean said, gesturing to the room with a couch and television. "Awesome place to chill. And through here's the office or something- I dunno, Bobby has a desk in there." He said with a shrug, leading Cas upstairs next.

"That's Sam's room," he pointed to the closed door, "And Bobby's is over there. My dad's is..." He trailed off, gesturing down a hallway to another closed door. "And this is mine." He announced, opening his door.

The room was pretty cluttered, despite Dean's haste attempt to kick the clothes he'd left on the floor into the closet. The walls had various posters of classic cars, bands, and girls, and an older stereo system sat in one corner, surrounded by a disarray of CDs. Dean rubbed the back of his neck, wishing he'd at least tried to clean, but it was too late now.

"So...yeah. My room." He said with a half smile.

Castiel followed Dean, glancing at whatever Dean gestured to. When they made it to his room and he showed him it, he looked around. It was very Dean like. He smiled a little, looking over at Dean.

"I didn't have a chance to show you my room when you visited. If you would like I could." he said. "Your room is very you. I like it." he chuckled, walking into it. He easily navigated through his room, glancing at everything. He sat down on the bed and looked around again. "So this is where you sleep." he hummed. "Little messy but I don't really mind." Castiel looked over at Dean.

Dean grinned, sitting down next to him on the bed. "Yeah, I was going to clean up or something, but, well, that didn't really happen." He chuckled, glancing around his room before looking back at Cas. "So it's very me? I guess that's good. Unless you're calling me a mess." He added jokingly.

Castiel laughed a little, "You're a little messy but I guess that mixes with me because I'm a bit tidy. The room reminds me of you, this is kind of how I imagined your room. If it was tidy and clean, I would probably question it." he said.

"Yeah, I don't think I could ever actually get something to be "tidy"." He replied with a laugh. "So it's just more proof that we make a pretty good team." Dean said with a smile.

Castiel smiled, "It seems so." he replied. He glanced over at the stereo, "Do you just play music in your room?" he asked, moving over the bed to get closer to the stereo. He looked at the music, "Maybe we can take some to my car." he said.

"Yeah, go for it. I like all of that music, so you can pick out whatever looks good." Dean replied, crawling across the bed and plopping down on his stomach beside Cas. "They should all be in the right cases, at least." He added, looking at the cluttered piles and stacks.

Castiel laughed a little, "If you do like them all then it would just be a pleasant surprise if they aren't in the right case." he said. He just glanced through them, picking up any he thought looked the most used, figuring they were Dean's favorite. He picked 5 cases. "I think that should be enough." he said, looking back at Dean.

Dean grinned, noticing how Cas had managed to pick five of his favorites. "Good choices. Have you heard them before or did you just pick them?" He asked.

Castiel glanced down at the CD's then to Dean, "I just picked them. I just assumed they were your favorite by the physical appearances of the cases. Was I right into assuming these are?" he asked.

Dean nodded, smiling. "Yup, those are definitely some of my favorites. Want to listen to a couple of them, make sure you like them?" He offered, moving off of the bed to crouch beside him and the stereo.

Castiel nodded a little, handing him the cases so he can put the first one in. He didn't really have a preference to music and just listened to whatever was playing so he knew that he wasn't going to mind Dean's music, but he secretly hoped he would like it so he could relate to Dean.

Dean got his all time favorite, popping open the case and putting it carefully in the player. He pressed play and the music erupted into the room before Dean jumped to turn the volume down. He laughed sheepishly, sitting back to listen.

Castiel was stunned for a second before he started laughing as Dean scrambled to turn it down. He stopped laughing after a few moments and listened. He could hear Dean humming the tune next to him. They were both sitting on the ground with their backs to the bed. He scooted a little closer to Dean to listen to him hum. The music wasn't the romantic type but Castiel didn't mind.

Dean glanced over as Cas shifted closer, smiling slightly as he switched from humming to softly singing along. It wasn't exactly a slow or soft track, but at least it wasn't telling or particularly high pitched.

Castiel smiled softly, leaning his head a little onto Dean. He closed his eyes, listening to him sing. It was a smooth low tone, calming. It was something that Castiel felt like he could listen to forever.

Dean sang until the song ended, quickly skipping a few tracks until he found the one he was looking for. It was an acoustic version, the softest song on the CD, and easy and nice to sing to. He could hardly believe how relaxed and at ease he felt, the gentle weight of Cas a reassurance that this was reality. Maybe something did change, maybe they won't talk about it, but the thought still weighed in mind.

Castiel sighed softly, the room was a very nice atmosphere. Not talking but perfectly comfortable. They were just listening to music. Castiel found Dean's hand and traced random things in his palm, smiling softly. He wasn't sure if this what normal people did but this is what he felt like he should be doing. He wasn't sure what he should be doing but he just did what he felt was right.

Dean watched Cas trace patterns into his palm, surprised at just how comfortable he was. It had only been a week and he'd already developed strange feelings for Cas. He still hadn't fully admitted it to himself, but for now he just let himself enjoy their closeness.

Castiel glanced at Dean as the song was coming to an end. He saw that Dean was already glancing at him and noticed him tracing things on his palm. He just kind of tilted his head a little and smiled at Dean, feeling this soft flutter in his chest. Dean slowly sang the last words and they kind of just stared for a moment before Castiel broke the comfortable silence, "You sing really nicely. I like it." he said.

Dean smiled. "I normally usually only sing in the car, but I'm glad you like it. You're the only person I've ever actually sung to." He realized, not minding at all. It was weird.

Castiel smiled, liking the idea that he was the only person Dean has sung to. "Thank you for singing to me then." he said softly. They were sitting a lot closer together than when the first sat down, but neither of them seemed to mind how close they were.

Dean enjoyed the moment for a little whole, not wanting to break the silence but dying to know what exactly Cas felt. He clearly hadn't minded the tree, and he was the one who first scooted closer, but maybe he just hadn't known what else to do. After all, he certainly no clue when the girl had flirted with him.

"So, Cas." Dean paused. "About what happened in the tree..." He trailed off, suddenly afraid to know the truth. He wished he hadn't said anything.

Castiel tipped his head to the side a little, opening his mouth to reply before his phone went off and he moved away from Dean to be able to answer his phone. Dean just watched Cas get up, feeling a loss of some sort, like something was missing. It was such a weird thing. He didn't understand it and he was unsure if he wanted to or not.

Castiel talked to Dean for a moment, nodding a bit before he said okay and hung up. He looked back at Dean, "I have to go home now. Gabriel wants me to make him some sweets for his coworkers." he said. "I suppose I'll see you on monday?" he added slowly, unsure on what to say to Dean now.

"Uh, well you can always come tomorrow. I mean...if you want to. Not saying you have to or anything. We still have that homework to do and...yeah." Dean rambled a bit. He wasn't sure what to say to Cas either, he was nervous about that question he asked Cas and hoped that he didn't hear.

Castiel nodded a bit, "Okay...tomorrow. I'll come back tomorrow." He said. "We do need to finish our homework…" he said softly.

Dean got up after him, "Yeah homework. I'll uh… walk you out." He said.

"Oh you don't have to." Castiel started.

"No I'm walking you out. Stubborn remember?" Dean smiled a little to break the tension that was surfacing again.

Castiel returned his small smile. "Yes you are. Then please do so." he said.

Dean walked out first to lead Cas out, "Sam, Cas is leaving!" he called out.

After a few moments Sam opened his door, "Bye Cas! Come back anytime!" he said with a smile.

Castiel smiled back at him, "I'll come back tomorrow, Goodbye Sam." he said politely.

"See you tomorrow Cas." Sam said again before closing his door. Bobby wasn't anywhere to be seen so Cas told Dean to say his regards as they walked out to his car.

"Well I'll see you tomorrow Cas. What time do you think you'll be here?" Dean asked.

"Oh...Uhm...I could come in the morning if you would like...I tend to wake up quite early but I can come in the afternoon if you sleep in." Castiel answered.

"No it's cool, maybe swing by around like 11? A bit in between so maybe I won't look like a slob in the morning." Dean laughed.

Castiel laughed, "Yes, 11 sounds fine with me. I will be over then." he glanced at Dean before getting into his car. "Goodbye Dean. See you tomorrow." he smiled a bit.

"Later Cas." Dean smiled, waving slightly while Cas started the engine and slowly pulled away and drive off.

Dean smile dropped after Cas left and his mind was running back to what happened in the tree. He looked back to the tree and ran his fingers over his lips, he didn't know what to think. Cas seemed to blow it over, like it didn't happen but he kissed him back. He knew it happened so how come he's acting like it didn't happen? What does Cas think of it? Dean ran a hand through his hair, how does he even think of it? He kissed Cas, kissed him. Why? Why did he feel like he wanted to? Cas is a guy, obviously but he just felt it would be right. Dean was always into girls though and he only ever felt the urge to kiss them like that was when he wanted to have fun, so why Cas?

Dean sighed, deciding to walk around the lot a bit to clear his mind and think to himself about what happened before going back inside. Why Cas? Did he...did he like him? Dean had to stop in his walking to ponder on that thought. Did he like Cas? He shook his head a bit before continuing to walk, deciding to put that thought away later, but he did kiss him so maybe he did? Maybe he was just sexually frustrated since he hasn't done anything in a while. Was that it?

Castiel drove home, blankly before walking into the house to see Gabriel. They exchanged a few words on what they should be and where he was before he walked into the kitchen to be alone to his thoughts. He worked through the kitchen, easily baking while he thought of what happened. Why did Dean kiss him? Why didn't he want Dean to pull away? He thought that kissing was a way to show affection, since Dean said he would pull girls into the closet and make out with them. Dean did say he was attractive at one point, but does that mean Dean was attracted to him? He shook his head a little, there was no way, he wasn't a girl. Maybe the kiss was just the spur of the moment, he shouldn't think too much about it, but he couldn't help but think about it.

Castiel wanted to kiss Dean again. He wanted to feel the feeling like he did earlier, it was fast but it felt...good. He didn't understand why, but he really enjoyed the kiss. He wished he knew how to kiss but he didn't. He was inexperienced, awkward, clumsy. He shook his head a little, of course Dean couldn't have liked him, it was just the spur of the moment. He was sure Dean did that a lot, act on his feelings at the moment, he shouldn't read into his actions. Dean acted like normal, like it didn't happen. So it was only right if he acted the same way. He didn't want to lose Dean. That was something he wasn't going to risk. He finally made a friend and he was starting to enjoy school even just slightly when he wasn't feeling anxious. He slid the pastries into the oven and set the timer and told Gabriel they would be done when the timer went off before he went upstairs.

The thoughts plagued both of their minds, what was the kiss? What did this mean to them? What will it change? What happens to them? What will happen tomorrow? Would they both have to continue acting like it didn't mean something? That they weren't thinking about it. They both laid in bed that night, thinking of the other. Their thoughts still running wild. Will they talk about this? They both fell asleep eventually, both worrying of the same thing.

Castiel woke up a little later than he normally did on the weekdays, taking in the rest he didn't get for staying up later with his thoughts. He was still up a bit earlier to head to Dean's house so he just went downstairs to bake. He eventually had to go get dressed and tried to not let his thoughts plague him. He was worried he was going to do something wrong today, that he would ruin their friendship. He almost grabbed his phone a few times to call off their plans but then Dean was acting normal so he couldn't just brush him aside. That would be rude. He slowly got changed and tried to not think of the scenarios that could happen and started making his way downstairs to go to Dean's house. He grabbed a container of sweets and set off to Dean's house, his mind still full of worry.

Dean woke up relatively around the same time Cas did, but only a little later. He laid in bed for a few moments, almost forgetting what happened the day before but his mind was full of it. It was wrong to say but he really didn't mind kissing Cas, he didn't know how to feel about that thought. He ran a hand through his bed hair, glancing around his room. He decided to make the room look even slightly decent before Cas came and just threw everything into his closet. He pulled on some jeans before going to do his morning routines. After that he went downstairs to eat a bowl of cereal, now having time to just think in the morning quietness.

How was he going to act today? Will he ask Cas about what happened in the tree? It's been eating at him since last night and he couldn't get it out of his mind. What was going through Cas's head? Dean slowly ate his cereal looking at the clock before realizing that Cas was going to be there soon and he still wasn't prepared to face him, how was he going to face him? How does he normally act? How should he greet him? What will Cas say? What if he fucks up?

There was a knock on the door followed by the ring of the doorbell. Dean's breath stopped for a moment before he put the bowl away quickly, "Give me a second." he said before running a hand through his hair again before he answered the door. He looked to see Cas looking up at him with his bright blue eyes and a small container.

Castiel was slightly surprised Dean answered the door so quick, he looked up at him to see his messy hair and freckles. He was caught staring a little bit before he offered the container up. "I baked us some sweets for today.." he said softly.

Dean glanced from Cas's eyes to the container, he smiled slightly. "That's awesome." he sidestepped the door for Cas to come in, "Did you wake up early to make that?" he asked.

Castiel came into the house and looked back at Dean, "Not necessarily. I wake up early on a normal basis, but today I woke up a little later than usual but I still had time to make some sweets before I had to change and come over." he explained.

"Waking up late and still having time? Me and you have a different definition of late." Dean laughed a bit as he closed the door. "You can set those on the counter, we can eat them later. Well if you don't want to eat them now, I don't disagree with that idea." he grinned.

Castiel laughed, "No, I have already eaten so I don't really wish to eat sweets at the moment, but if you are hungry you're welcome to have some. I can make you breakfast if you like, if you don't mind me using your kitchen that is." he replied.

"Nah I had a bowl of cereal, I'm good to go, but if I knew you'd offer to make breakfast I would have asked you to come over earlier." Dean teased.

"I wouldn't have mind, I could have made you breakfast if you would have wanted me to." Castiel answered simply.

Dean still didn't really understand what was going through Cas's head, he was glad they weren't awkward or anything and acting like usual but he got mixed signals for Cas, was he really just being very nice? Or was he flirting with him? It was just how Cas was normally and it made him more confused since he wasn't sure how to take it.

Castiel felt relieved a bit, glad that Dean was able to keep the conversation going and was acting normal and responding the same. He thought that he wasn't going to be able to act normal and dean would know but he laughed and smiled, he didn't need to worry that much. When he was standing at the door, his heart was pounding from the worry, he felt better now and much calmer.

"Would you like to start our homework now? So then we have the rest of the day to do anything we like?" Castiel smiled a little.

"Ugh...homework." Dean groaned. He sighed, "Yeah you're right. If we get it done now then we have the rest of the day to watch cartoons." he smiled at that.

"Yes, that's true. You did say that you would show we cartoons." Castiel smiled. "So where would you like to do our homework? Here?" he asked.

"Well we can go to my room if you like, I cleared some space for us. Plus I kinda want to listen to music when do." Dean shrugged.

Castiel nodded, "Okay, then we can go to your room." he said before walking over to the counter and setting down his container and following Dean back upstairs. They settled on the ground to do their homework. Castiel opened his book and took out his worksheet while Dean got his bag to do the same.

"I answered a few questions yesterday so I have a bit of a head start. If you need help I can help you find those answers." Castiel replied.

Dean paused for a moment, now thinking again of yesterday. He felt the urge again to ask Cas what he thought about yesterday. He nodded slightly, "Uh yeah...thanks." he said. He was distracted now, looking at his worksheet and trying to concentrate. He just kept thinking about yesterday.

Castiel was filling more answers in before glancing up at seeing that Dean didn't fill any in. "Are you stuck Dean? Do you need help." he asked before scooting over to him.

Dean's breath caught a bit to have Cas so close to him again and his mind running wild before he just blurted out, "What do you think of what happened in the tree?" he asked.

Castiel was taken by surprised before, scooting away a little. He did something wrong. He started to panic a bit. "I'm sorry. Was I making you uncomfortable? I thought that you wouldn't mind me being close. I was just helping you with your homework and acting like normal..." he started. "You kissed me in the tree and I didn't want you to go away. I don't know why but I...I didn't want you to, but after you just...you just didn't act like anything so I thought that you did it on accident, a spur of the moment. I'm sorry. I probably just made you uncomfortable and now you don't want to be friends with me. I tried to act as normal so you did so we can still be friends, but if you don't want to be friends….I'll leave. I'm sorry." he said softly near the end. He felt like his heart just dropped and he just babbled, but he didn't want Dean to hate him.

Dean blinked, completely taken aback by what Cas was saying. "I- what?" He stared for a second, processing what he'd said. "No, no, I wasn't uncomfortable, it was…nice. And it wasn't an accident." He said, scooting back closer to Cas again. "I just wasn't sure if you were going along with it because you wanted to or thought you had to." Dean explained, desperate to get the heartbroken look off of Cas's face. "You weren't wrong." He finished.

Castiel glanced at Dean and then down at his hands. "It wasn't?" he asked. "I didn't want you to pull away in the tree so I kissed you back. I did that on my own will...I'm not sure if I did the right thing...I just did what I…I felt was right." he replied.

Dean tried catching Cas's gaze, "I'm not sure what this is Cas...but I know that whatever happened was consensual." he started. "I still want to be friends with you Cas. I don't hate you or anything or you made me uncomfortable...just that it was eating at me that you just blew it off and acted like normal so i didn't know if it was something you just kinda shrugged off." he explained.

"No...it wasn't something I could shrug off Dean...That...that was my first kiss and you are my first real friend. I was very confused but I definitely didn't want to lose you so I acted like normal like you did…" Castiel replied. "I want to be friends with you Dean...I don't know what happened either but I still want us to be friends." he said.

Dean felt the tension in his chest ease, relieved that Cas had actually wanted to be near him. He hadn't wanted him to leave or pull away. He looked at Cas and smiled a little, his question was answered and he didn't think too much of it now. While looking at Cas again, his eyes flicked back down to his lips and he just thought about yesterday and how it felt so nice to have Cas against him and those sounds he made. He swallowed a little, "...So where does that leave us Cas?" he asked after a few moments.

"Where do you think we should be?" Castiel slowly looked at to Dean, not wanting to lose his friend. He would be really sad.

Dean looked at him, licking his lip a little. "I don't know Cas...I mean...we're still friends and all and we can figure it out some other day...but I kinda want to kiss you again." he rubbed the back of his neck and looked down before back up at Cas.

Castiel blushed slightly, "Well I mean...I...I-I wouldn't uh….disagree.." he looked back down at his hands, thinking of how Dean kissed him yesterday and he wanted to run his fingers over his own lips again. He was just happy that Dean still wanted to be his friend.

Dean laughed slightly at Cas's answer. He slowly moved closer to Cas before using his free hand to tip Cas's chin up gently, looking at him for a moment to see if he would hesitate or if he or Cas wanted to do that. Neither of them pulled away just staring at each other. Dean was looking at Cas and didn't feel any type of disgust or anything, just the fact that he wanted to kiss him. He slowly moved forward and press a kiss against his lips.

Castiel glanced up at Dean as he tilted his chin upwards. They were kissing again, his heart flutter and squeeze. It wasn't an accident, they made this choice and Dean wanted to kiss him. Castiel closed his eyes and leaned up into Dean a little more confident than he was in the tree.

Dean smiled slightly against his mouth. He kept the kiss slow for Cas before his tongue traced lightly across his lips, pressing forward slightly and deepening the kiss, keeping his hand underneath Cas's chin.

Castiel made that small gasp like he did in the tree still not all that used to kissing. He had a hand on Dean's shirt, gripping it a little as his other hand held onto Dean's other hand. He just tried to mimic what Dean was doing, leaning up to him to press closer.

Dean savored the sound of Cas's gasp, suddenly wanting to hear every little sound he made. He bit his lower lip gently, tugging at it before turning his head slightly to return to the kiss. His hand let Cas's chin go, traveling slowly to the side of his head and burying his fingers in his dark hair.

Castiel had a small shiver run through him, he gripped Dean's shirt a little tighter. He wasn't sure how kissing work but he just wanted to taste Dean more. He didn't know what he wanted but he just knew that it was Dean.

Dean could tell Cas wasn't exactly experienced, but that just made him press against him harder, pinning him against the side of the bed. He felt a selfish pleasure in knowing that he was Cas's first kiss and second, that he'd never done any of this with anyone else.

Castiel gasped, breaking the kiss. He was panting compared to Dean who seemed to be slightly out of breath. He looked at Dean dazed. His mind was a bit hazy and dull. He wanted to kiss him some more but he didn't know what to do it make it feel good and he wanted Dean to enjoy it too.

Dean restrained himself from starting the kiss again, knowing that Cas had pulled back for a reason. "You okay? Am I making you uncomfortable?" He murmured, his lips ghosting across his cheek before he leaned back slightly to look him in the eye. "We can stop. I just kinda threw myself onto you...sorry."

Castiel shook his head, looking at Dean. His breathing was evening out. "I'm not used to kissing and I want you to enjoy it too." he replied softly. He squeezed Dean's hand that was in his, "I'm not very good at it, but I still want to kiss you." he said, glancing at their hands before back at Dean.

"I am enjoying it." Dean replied with a grin, glad that Cas wasn't uncomfortable and deep down that Cas didn't want to stop kissing. "And it's not that you're not good, you just don't have experience. Just do what feels good." He suggested, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "You can't do it wrong, so don't worry."

Castiel nodded a little, before he timidly leaned up at kissed him softly. The hand that was holding onto Dean's shirt came up to his shoulder and held onto it. He pulled Dean a bit closer to him so he could kiss him. He just did whatever Dean did and tried to do whatever he thought would feel nice. He gingerly licked Dean's bottom lip, lightly sucking on it before kissing Dean again.

Dean hummed his approval against his lips, wanting to let Cas experiment but finding it nearly impossible to just let him. He hooked his arm around Cas's waist, pressing himself against him, wanting to feel more of him.

Castiel made a small sound against his lips as he felt him being pulled closer. He was basically seated in Dean's lap. He slowly slipped his hand out of Dean's hand, settling it on his neck. He lightly played with the ends of his hair, dragging his nails gingerly. He leaned into Dean, kissing him with more confidence because Dean was reacting positively.

Dean shuddered from the base of his spine at Cas's delicate touch. His newly freed hand traveled up along Cas's leg, stopping on the side of his thigh. He leaned back against the bed again, pulling Cas with him to keep their close proximity.

Castiel felt their movement but kept kissing Dean regardless. He felt a hand settle on his thigh, feeling another shiver run through him. He kissed Dean a bit rougher as he had something to lean back on. Castiel licked the side of Dean's lips, wanting to taste him more. His hand moved from the base of Dean's neck to the back of his head, just having his fingers in his hair.

Dean moaned softly into his mouth, enjoying Cas's new confidence. He returned his roughness, nails dragging across his back through his shirt. The hand on Cas's thigh moved slowly up the hem of his shirt, resting against the bare skin on the small of his back. Dean was slowly testing the waters, trying to determine what Cas was comfortable with.

Castiel made a small gasp, moaning a bit into Dean's mouth. He arched into Dean as his fingers touch the small of his back, another delighted shiver ran through him. He gripped Dean's shoulder a little more as he tried to keep focus. He lightly nipped at Dean's lips, swiping a tongue across them. His fingers tangled into some of Dean's hair, lightly pulling them.

Dean was encouraged by Castiel's response, hand roaming further upwards across his bare back before moving around to his stomach. His tongue snaked across Cas's lower teeth as his other hand clutched at Cas's shirt between the shoulder blades.

Castiel leaned his weight into Dean, having his chest pressed against Dean's as he made small noises at the trailing hand. He felt everything light up in heat as Dean's fingers past by a piece of skin. Castiel didn't know how to describe it, but everything felt sensitive to Dean's touches. The hand that was on Dean's shoulders lightly dragged down his bicep as his other hand cupped the side of Dean's neck, playing a bit with his ear. He wasn't too sure what felt good for Dean so he was just going to try things until he got a reaction.

Dean moaned softly, tilting his head slightly into Cas's hand. His hand went further up across his chest, his fingertips tracing against his skin. Cas felt smooth and soft underneath his hand, and he wanted desperately to expose more of his skin, to feel it against his own skin. He knew Cas had never done any this before, but everything he did seemed to be perfect and felt amazing, which only made Dean want more.

Castiel had to breathe, he broke the kiss, moaning a little. He bit his lip from making sounds, he had his eyes shut, leaning his head onto Dean's shoulder, breathing a little roughly. He arched at the touch again, making little sounds as Dean traced across his skin. He gripped Dean's shirt slightly as he breathed into him shoulder. His head was spinning, but he didn't want to stop. It was different, but not bad. He didn't know what to do, what he should be doing.

Dean shivered at the noises Cas was making, every sound sending little jolts through his blood. He let Cas breath, moving to kiss his jaw and neck eagerly. He moved down to the base of his neck, just underneath his collar, and sucked the skin slightly. He had to stop himself from leaving a noticeable mark, moving back up Cas's neck again.

Castiel gripped Dean's shirt a little more, moaning into his shoulder. He moved his head a little and placed a soft kiss to Dean's neck. Castiel just held onto Dean, letting him take lead.

There was a soft knock on Dean's door, "Dean? Is Cas here? I saw his car outside but I didn't see him." Sam asked through the door.

Castiel jumped a little, but he still had his face buried into Dean's neck, gripping onto him as a blush rose through him.

Dean froze, head snapping up. "Uh," he started gruffly, clearing his throat before trying again. "Yeah, he's here. We're just doing some homework." he said, not wanting to relinquish his hold just yet but letting Cas go for them to get up.

Castiel moved away from Dean with a faint blush on his cheeks, brushing his hair back a bit and going back to his things. Cas gently touched his lips as he sat there and Dean glanced at him, running a hand through his own hair before leaning his head back against the bed. "Did you need something?" he asked, not wanting to answer the door unless he had to.

"I was just checking in to make sure you let him in and he wasn't just waiting outside or anything. Hey Cas, by the way. Well I'm going to finishing my paper then." he said, before leaving. Castiel glanced at Dean, before looking back down.

They sat in silence for a bit before Dean looked back over at Cas. He opened his mouth to say something before asking, "Do you regret that?" he asked.

Castiel looked up at him, blushing again before looking back down. He shook his head, "No...just...flustered." he said softly. "We should...we should finish our homework." he added.

Dean nodded, "Yeah." he said simply before looking back over at Cas and then moving back to where he was working. He finally focused on working on his sheet and they worked in silence for a while before Dean got stuck on a question. "Cas what question are you on?" he asked.

"The last one." Castiel replied, before filling in the last answer and closing his book.

"What?" Dean looked up at him, "How did you finish so easily? How did you find number 17? I've been stuck on it forever. I looked through it again and again and I still can't find it." he groaned.

"Oh. It's not in the actual passage but on the side note." Castiel told him.

"What? Who the hell reads those? What page did you find it on?" Dean asked.

Castiel laughed, before leaning over and pointing right in front of Dean. "It's right there." he said.

Dean read it over before shaking his head slightly, "Man I really hate homework. I'm jealous you're so smart and just can find things so easily." he grumbled a little.

"Thank you for saying I'm smart, but there's no need to be jealous. Everyone is capable, I'm here to help you remember?"Castiel supplied, smiling a little at Dean and then like that the awkward air they had earlier disappeared and they were talking again, joking and laughing.

They were sitting around their finished homework before Dean offered to show Cas more about cars and Castiel agreed. He followed Dean out and they talked about the impala a bit and more about engines. Castiel was able to keep up with his conversations now, remembering all that Dean taught him. Dean fixed the impala a little as they talked and he was impressed that Cas listened so closely.

They didn't get a chance to watch cartoons before it was starting to get late and they had to start making dinner before Cas had to go home. As they were cooking in the kitchen Dean asked him a question, "Do you have to go home? Like do you need to? You can crash here if you want." he offered.

"I have never slept over at someone's house before. I would have to ask Gabriel after we cook dinner. I left my phone upstairs." Castiel replied, smiling slightly. "If I can, I would love to. I don't know where you would want me to sleep though." he said. "I can take the couch."

"Well I mean...you don't have to take the couch you can take my bed and I'll take the couch. Being a guest and all, you should have somewhere comfy." Dean told him.

"I'm perfectly okay with sleeping on the couch Dean." Castiel replied as he put the final touches on their dinner and looking back up to Dean.

"Well we're figure it out after eating alright?" Dean offered.

Castiel nodded, "Are you going to call Sam and Bobby down?" he asked.

"Yeah." said Dean before going to the staircase and calling up for the two who came down a few moments after he walked back in the kitchen. Castiel has set up plates as Dean called them and set them on the table with silverware.

Sam and Bobby came down after a few moments and looked at the two, "You made dinner again? That's really nice of you Cas, I mean you didn't have to but I'm still thankful you did." Sam laughed.

"Yes, I enjoy cooking so thank you for letting me use your kitchen." Castiel replied.

"No one really uses it so you can feel free too, before those pans rust." Bobby scoffed a little.

"Then I will utilize them for cooking for you three when I can." Castiel smiled.

They talked over dinner again and told more stories about Dean, much to his dislike. Castiel enjoyed them a lot and laughed a lot at them. Sam grinned, enjoying that he has someone to talk to, to embarrass Dean. Dean just fought back with embarrassing stories of Sam. Bobby shok his head and looked at Cas, telling him he had enough blackmail for either of the two. Castiel just smiled, shaking his head to the thought. After dinner Sam wanted to continue talking after they ate desserts but he has to go finish his paper.

"I'd love to torture my brother some more but I got to go finish my homework." Sam said as he put his dish away.

"Thank god." Dean sighed.

Sam rolled his eyes, "There's always next time." he said.

Castiel smiled, laughing. "Yes, there's always next time. Of course only if Dean allows it…" he glanced at Dean.

"Course Cas, I already said it, you're welcome here any time." Dean replied.

Castiel smile again, "Thank you Dean." he said.

Dean returned his smile, "Bobby can Cas crash here for tonight?" he turned to look at Bobby as Sam left.

"You're grown Dean, why need ask me for something like that?" Bobby got up and put his dish away.

"Just being polite in front of guest that's all, what's so bad about that?" Dean replied, looking at him.

"What you're going to ask me to serve him some drinks next? You just said he was welcome here any time, shouldn't that say enough already?" Bobby looked at him with a certain look.

Dean sighed exaggeratedly, "No one takes me seriously here." he laughed a little as Bobby left.

Castiel looked at Dean, "I think it's because they know you too well and use it against you." he said.

"Well whatever." Dean replied. "So do you need to text you brother? To see if you can crash here?" he asked.

Castiel nodded, "Yes I need to but I think it's more than likely that I can, so would you like to settle bed arrangements? I have told you previously that I am okay with taking the couch, it's not a problem Dean." he said.

"Yeah I know you don't, but I don't really want you to be down here by yourself. How about you take my bed and I'll take the floor?" Dean offered.

"But it's your bed, I can take the floor." Castiel replied.

"C'mon Cas, accept my hospitality." Dean sighed a little, laughing.

"I do, but I politely decline your offers." Castiel told him.

"You're so stubborn." Dean looked at him.

"As are you." Castiel met his gaze.

"Okay you text your brother to make sure for real and then we'll settle it okay?" Dean offered again.

Castiel laughed, nodding before going upstairs with Dean to go get his phone and texting Gabriel.

 **Cassie:**   _I'm not coming home tonight, just thought I should tell you._

A moment later he receives a text back.

 **Gabriel:**   _Something up?_

 **Cassie:**   _No, not this time. I'm staying at Dean's._

Only a second later he gets a text back.

 **Gabriel:** _Use protection. You can tell me about this later. Go get him Cassie!_

 **Cassie:**   _You're an idiot…_

Castiel blushed, he sent back before he pocketed his phone. He shyly glanced up at Dean, "I can stay." he said.

Dean arched a brow, noticing his blush. He glanced down at his phone but couldn't read the message, so he glanced back up to Cas. "What'd he say?" He asked curiously.

Castiel opened his mouth and closed it again. "He...he's just being weird." he replied. "Are you sure you want me to stay? I can go home if you would like." he offered.

Dean blinked, surprised. "What? Cas I already said you can stay. Did Gabriel say something about you staying?" he asked.

Castiel glanced up at Dean, "No he didn't...he said I could stay. I'm just asking you." he said.

"Cas I'll tell you again if you need to hear it. I want you to stay over. If you need to me to tell you again alright." Dean shrugged, not really caring how obvious it was, just wanting Cas to stay. He wasn't sure why he was set on it, if Cas wanted to go home he could. "If you want to go home then you can, I'm not forcing you to stay, you know that right?"

"I don't mind. Gabriel doesn't mind. I want to stay over… I just wondered on what you thought of it." Castiel replied. "It's my first time staying over at someone's house and I don't want to get in the way or make you uncomfortable but if you let me stay then I want to." he smiled a little.

"Really? Well, you're the first person I've asked to stay here." Dean replied, smiling.

"I feel special then." said Castiel. "I don't know what you're supposed to do when you stay over at other people's home though. Is there anything that you wanted to do?" he asked.

'There are a couple of things I could think of...' Dean thought quietly to himself. He looked at Cas and shrugged. "I don't really know what people normally do. Whatever we want, I guess."

"I don't think we have to sleep soon or at least I don't think we do. Do you think we should do something?" Castiel asked, tilting his head to the side.

Dean looked at him, smiling a little at Cas tilting his head. "Well we could continue what we were doing earlier." he joked.

Castiel blushed, "Ah...I...well.." he fumbled over his words. "But Sam…" he said.

Dean arched his eyebrows, surprised that Cas didn't disagree to them making out again but to the fact that Sam might be there. He figured that was a good reason before he settled on the side of the bed and gently pulled Cas down and into his lap and wrapped his arms around him. He wasn't really sure of his own actions, he really didn't even understand why he did half the things he did but having Cas this close made him push those thoughts to the back of his mind.

Castiel looked at Dean surprised, "I might be heavy, I don't want to hurt you legs or anything." he said, nervous to be hurting Dean or anything. He started to shift away.

Dean tightened his arms around him, stopping him from moving. "You're not heavy. It's nice." He replied, enjoying the weight of him on his lap. "We have time so this is something. Do you feel uncomfortable? You can move. Don't feel like you have to do anything I want you to. If you don't want to do something just tell me or just move away, I'll understand." he said.

Castiel stopped moving and settled back in Dean's lap. He looked at Dean, "I don't...I don't feel uncomfortable..I just don't know what to do…" he said. "I understand what you have said though. I won't do anything I'm not comfortable with." he added. He looked at Dean before looking down, "What do you normally do on your free time then if I'm not here?" he asked.

Dean shrugged, thinking about it. "Well, normally I'd probably be watching tv. Oh, d'you wanna watch some cartoons that I was telling you about?" He offered, not knowing how much Cas actually wanted to see them.

"I'm okay with whatever you want to do." Castiel told him. "We can watch television or listen to more music. We could just sit and talk and I would be fine with that." he said honestly.

"Mm, I am pretty comfortable." Dean replied, realizing that watching tv meant going downstairs and moving in general. "Well, what d'you wanna talk about? Or do you want to put in another CD?" He asked, just wanting Cas to enjoy himself with whatever they did.

Castiel hummed, "We can talk while listening to music." he offered. Dean's arm was still wrapped around him so he thought about moving for a second but he thought against it. He didn't want to move. He just bent backwards and grabbed a CD and popped it open and switched out the two. He turned it down a little before pulling back and looking at Dean who had this really shocked face.

Castiel arched a brow and laughed a little, "Are you okay?" he asked.

Dean stared at him, wondering if he had seen him right. 'Did he really just bend backwards like that?'

"How... You just... You're really flexible." He said lamely, having no idea how Cas had managed that.

Castiel laughed a little at him, "I suppose?" he said, having music play around them now. "Does that bother you?" he asked.

"No, no, I just wasn't expecting that." Dean replied with a laugh. "How'd you learn to do that?" He asked, pretty sure if he tried the same thing he'd break his back.

Castiel bit the inside of his cheek, wondering if he should tell Dean. He looked over at Dean, "I'm...I'm a gymnast. It's kind of a necessity to be flexible." he said. He always got bad comments once he told people he was, so he glanced down. "Do you think that's weird?" he asked quietly.

Dean shook his head, catching Cas's chin and pulling it gently upwards to meet his eyes. "If you like doing it, then I don't think it's weird at all." He replied simply. "Besides, it looked like your spine was made of rubber for a second there- might as well put that to good use." He joked with a smile.

Castiel smiled a little at Dean before he tilted his head a little, "Good use? You mean in gymnastics correct?" he asked. "That's where I got the "rubber spine" from." he said.

"Ah. Well, I'm not gonna lie, that freaked me out a little at first. But it was really cool, now that I know you didn't break your back." Dean chuckled. "How long have you been in gymnastics?" he asked. He thought it was a bit odd to hear about a guy doing gymnastic but Cas was an odd person so he accepted a lot more oddities, mostly if they were coming from Cas.

Castiel hummed a little, thinking back. "I think 8 years?" he replied. "I started in middle school as a time consumer. I wasn't sure what else to do and Anna had offered it to me. I really liked it and I kept at it, but it was said to be a girl sport. I believe most people have the misconception about it but it takes a lot of work." he explained.

Dean nodded slightly, understanding why Cas would be hesitant to tell people about it, but was glad Cas had told him. "That's pretty cool. So what kind of stuff can you do, other than bend over backwards to change CDs?" He asked with a chuckle.

Castiel hummed, "I'm a bit of a gymnast but also a flyer. The place I train at kind of mixes two different things together. Basically I can do a number of things. I can do a series of flips, a long list of different types, uneven bars, balance beams, rings, standings, jumps, and I get tossed in the air and that has a different set of skills." He explained.

Dean looked impressed. "Wow, so you get thrown in the air and stuff? That's really cool. I don't know what all of that is and it'd be cool to watch you do that stuff some time." He replied, definitely interested to see him do some of the things he'd said.

Castiel smiled, "Really? I would like to show you sometime." He looked really happy. "I'm sorry you don't understand what I'm talking about but I could explain but I don't know if you want to know this."

"I know some of the stuff, but it'd probably be easier to show me some time. When do you go practice? Or I guess, when would be a good time to come watch?" Dean asked, noticing how much Cas had brightened while talking about this.

Castiel hummed, "Anytime really. I'm not part of an actual team we just practice together. It's like an open gym. So I could go in tomorrow." He smiled

Dean nodded, smiling. "Okay, sounds good to me." He replied, enjoying how easy it was to make Cas happy. "It'll be cool to see you show off a little." He said with a laugh.

Castiel laughed a little, "I wouldn't exactly show off but if you're there, maybe." He said. He leaned forward to hug Dean, "Thank you." He said softly. "This means a lot." He said.

Dean held him for a moment, thinking that he really hadn't done much to deserve this affection from Cas, but it clearly was important to him and Dean was glad to make him happy. "Of course, any time." He replied softly.

Castiel smiled, pulling back a little. "I guess….I guess we learned a few things about each other today, I know a lot of your childhood." He said. "You learned I'm a gymnast." He added. "A lot of firsts for me too."

Dean grinned. "I'm glad you got a lot of firsts in today and I like learning about you. I guess we still got a lot to find out about each other, but really feels like we've known each for longer than a week." He said. "That's good, though, I think." they were back in their normal atmosphere and not the awkward tension or uncomfortable silence.

Castiel smiled, nodding. "It makes me feel a lot more comfortable with you though." He said. He was perfectly content facing Dean, just talking while music was playing.

"Yeah." Dean paused glancing down. "I know I said I had experience with this kinda thing, which is sort of true, but it's never been like... This." He looked up again, meeting his eyes. "This comfortable and close. I dunno, I just thought you'd want to know that."

Castiel felt his heart flutter a little. He timidly touched the side of Dean's neck gently. "I guess we're just going to have to learn together. I don't have experience in either so I guess you have to teach me in one though." He said. He smiled a little, looking at Dean.

Dean grinned. "That's one thing I can teach you, then." He said, leaning forward. "And I'd be glad to show you whenever you want." He murmured, lips slimming across his jaw.

Castiel shivered above him, "...That's something I would learn if it made you happy too." He said softly. He rested his hand on Dean's shoulder, breathing slowly.

"It would definitely make me happy too." Dean replied, smiling into the skin on the side of his neck. "And you like it too, right?" He asked, lifting his head slightly. He didn't want Cas to do things just because they made Dean happy- he wanted him I enjoy them too.

Castiel nodded, "I don't want to be the only person enjoying it. I...I like kissing you." He said softly, glancing at Dean before looking down at the hem of his shirt.

"Trust me, I like it too. I don't care if you know what you're doing or not or if you haven't had any experience. I just care that it's...you." He said, voice progressively getting softer until the last word was merely a whisper breathed across his lips. He let the words fall out of his mouth before his mind caught up with him, why did he say that? Did he believe that? Was it because it was Cas?

Castiel glanced at Dean, resting his hand on Dean's cheek and staring at him for a moment. "Okay... I understand." he replied. He didn't say anything for a few moments, unsure on what to say next. "Is this...is this how we're going to spend our night?" he asked.

Dean broke his train of thought and looking back at Cas and laughed slightly. "There're worse ways to spend the night." He replied with a small smile. "But I guess we could actually sleep at some point, too."

Castiel nodded, "Oh. I didn't bring clothes to change into...Am I supposed to sleep in jeans then? Do I need to sleep in the couch downstairs?" He asked.

"I can find you something to sleep in." Dean replied. He frowned slightly, not wanting Cas to go downstairs or be away. " I could sleep on the floor and you could take the bed." He offered again.

Castiel glanced at the bed, "Why can't we…share it? Is that a compromise?" He asked, looking back at Dean. "We've been on this fight for a while, thinking on who should have the bed, but we can split it can we not? It's big enough I think." he commented.

Dean thought about it for a moment, kind of surprised that Css would make such an offer. He was still trying to figure out how Cas felt about everything, he just seemed to be going along with whatever Dean wanted and it made him confused. He looked back at Cas before shrugging. "I'm cool with that if you are." He replied.

"If it's okay with you, then I don't really mind..." said Castiel, he wasn't actually sure himself on how he felt about sharing a bed with Dean but it was okay. It was just sleeping, but for some reason he felt nervous. "What time do you normally sleep?" He asked.

Dean shrugged again. "Whenever I get tired. Usually around midnight, I guess. What about you? I don't want to keep you up too late." He said jokingly.

Castiel thought about it, "I don't normally have a set time to when I fall asleep. I do when I wake up." He replied.

"So what time do you normally get up?" Dean asked, realizing that it was probably much earlier than he even thought about waking up.

"5:45? Maybe 6:30 if I don't really have to do much in the morning, but on weekends I tend to wake up around 8." Castiel responded. "I am used to getting up in the morning. It's a habit I developed over the years I suppose." he added. "Do you think that will be a problem for you since you seem like the type to like to sleep in?" he asked.

Dean thought for a second and shrugged. "I can get up early for once. I mean...I might be a bit slow in the morning since I don't like waking up early." He chuckled. "But normally, yeah, I try to sleep in as much as possible."

"I don't really want to disturb you in the morning. I'll wake you up before it gets too late but not the time I would normally wake up if you're okay with that." Castiel told him. "If you want to sleep, that's fine. I don't really mind." he said.

"Really? You don't mind?" Dean asked, surprised but grateful. "Thanks, I appreciate that. I'll get clothes for you to sleep in tonight and stuff so you can get ready in the morning to leave or whenever you have to go."

Castiel smiled a little, "Okay that would be fine." he said. The song they were listening to was coming to an end. Castiel tipped his head a little, "Are you going to let me up or are you going to make me sit in your lap for any longer?" he asked with an amused face.

Dean gave a dramatic sigh. "Fine, I guess I'll let you up." He said, breaking into a grin. "Though you can stay as long as you want." He chuckled.

Castiel rolled his eyes a little, "If I stay in this position any longer we won't get anything done." he said, slowly moving off the side of Dean. He felt a lot colder around areas that were touching Dean. He didn't realize how warm Dean was or how comfortable he was in Dean's lap. He almost forgot that he was sitting there the whole time. Dean didn't seem to make a comment about him sitting there or anything and he didn't feel awkward after, but more of a loss. He couldn't figure out how he felt.

Dean suppressed a sigh at the loss of having Cas against him, not realizing just how comfortable he had been. "Well, I guess I'll find some clothes that'll fit you." He said, glancing over at him before pulling himself up. He stretched his arms over his head as he walked over to his closet, flipping through the meager clothes that were hung up and not in a pile on the floor.

Castiel watched Dean go through his closet. He sat down on the bed looking at the CD cases. He put another CD in and it started playing music again. "I like your music." he said, glancing back at Dean before looking down the list of music on the back of the case.

"Yeah? That's good, especially since you already said you'd play it in your car." Dean replied with a chuckle, coming back over to Cas with a shirt he was pretty sure would fit.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "I did say that, but it is my car." he chuckled. He turned toward Dean who offered him a shirt.

Dean normally only slept in his boxers, but he figured that would probably be weird or something. "I think I might have pajama pants or shorts or something." He thought aloud, turning to rummage through his drawers.

Castiel watched Dean rummage through his drawers. "I don't really mind if you have some or not, it's not technically a necessity. I can sleep without a pair of sleeping pants." he offered, but didn't really know how Dean felt about it.

"Okay, cool, cause I was bluffing. I don't even know when the last time I had a pair was." Dean admitted with a chuckle, turning back around to face him. "I could ask Sam if he had any, but if you don't mind then I won't."

Castiel laughed a little, "If you didn't have any in the first place, how come you didn't just say so? I'm not really a picky person, I would tell you." He said.

Dean shrugged, walking back over to him. "I dunno, just trying to be nice. Hospitable and all that." He replied with a laugh. "And I know you're not picky, but I keep expecting to find something that you really don't like or something." He added, quieter. He was still half expecting Cas to see some habit or trait that drove him over the edge that made him just get up and leave. Dean was just doing his best to prolong it. He wasn't sure how to act around Cas, he could act normal sometimes but then others he was lost. He didn't know what Cas was thinking or anything and he was just trying to preserve whatever it is they have.

"There's nothing wrong Dean. I don't really mind. If you have to tell me something or I'm doing something wrong, be truthful about it. I'm not going to be able to read your mind." Castiel looked at him, staring for a second before he sighed softly. "I'm not going to run away Dean for whatever bizarre reason you might conjecture up in your mind." he said. He was more worried that he was going to end up making Dean leave. Everyone else did before so he just tried to do whatever Dean was okay with.

"Yeah, well, you'd be one of the first that didn't." Dean replied with a bitter smile, looking down at the floor. He glanced up at Cas, instantly regretting letting something like that slip out. "But I believe you, I do. I'll try to be better about it." He said sincerely.

Castiel looked at Dean sadly, taking his hand. He ran his thumb across his knuckles. They were worried about the same thing. The thought of Dean worrying that he would hate him made him sad and want to take his worries away. He turned Dean's palm to an open side and brought it to his mouth, he said something softly in it and kissed it. He glanced up at Dean with a small smile, "Okay. That's all I ask." he said.

"Thanks, Cas." Dean smiled slightly, feeling a sudden surge of emotion for Cas. He twisted his hand to catch Cas's, walking forward and kissing him softly on the forehead. "So can I ask what you said?" He murmured with a hopeful grin, raising their hands to press a kiss against his knuckles. He didn't know if Cas was okay with all the kissing but he just felt the urge to kiss him. It was something he still wasn't used to, but he was trying to figure it out.

Castiel hummed softly, feeling a soft flutter in his heart at the kisses. He enjoyed the feeling, it actually made him really calm and also happy. He was trying to figure out why his emotions were all over the place when he was with Dean or why certains things made him feel different but he just looked up at Dean. "As sappy as it sounds. A promise." he smiled a little before he lowered their hands and put Dean's hand back on top. He lightly drew something on his hand. "It's a little embarrassing to say out loud so probably not."

"An embarrassing promise, huh? Now I'm just more curious." Dean replied with a grin, watching Cas's hand move. "I won't tell anyone." He added.

Castiel looked at him softly, "Aisaro pi vanem polo vis tal vom dazi ninila dazad nenasi polo wezil polo nolota." he recited.

Dean arched an eyebrow, grin faltering slightly in confusion. "A...ais... What?" He asked. He could tell it was something meaningful, but he couldn't even tell what language it was in. Clearly not English, though.

Castiel chuckled softly at Dean's confusion. He wasn't sure if he should translate it but the expectant look that Dean had on his face made him change his mind. "The promise I give you is to be the hands that catch you when you doubt." he translated. "It's in Enochian." he explained.

Dean stared at Cas in wonder for what felt like a blissful eternity but was actually only a few fluttering heartbeats. He leaned forward and pressed a desperate kiss against Cas's lips, hardly able to understand the warmth that suddenly awoke in his core at Cas's promise and even more hopeless in trying to put the feeling into words. In his unexpected burst of emotion, Dean could only hope that Cas could read the meaning through his lips and understand what his promise meant to him.

Castiel looked surprised before he slowly relaxed and leaned forward. He hesitantly cupped the side of Dean's face, melting a little at the kiss. He felt his heart squeeze and his stomach flipped. It was different but it wasn't bad. He had his other hand resting on Dean's shoulder as he leaned into him. He broke the kiss but kept their close proximity, leaning his forehead against Dean's.

A small smile crossed his lips, "Pi Vasorisi. I promise." he said and translated.

Dean closed his eyes, letting his forehead rest against Cas's. It was both comforting and terrifying to realize how much he trusted Cas in that instant that he would never break that promise. It was entirely new sensation for Dean to have so much hopeful faith in one person, and he knew that this single promise could either break or heal everything about him."Thank you." He said after a pause, opening his eyes again to meet Cas's. "Really."

Castiel looked up at Dean, he smiled a little, stroking his thumb across Dean's cheek gently. "Anytime." he said. He knew that he wasn't making that promise for nothing, it was the truth and it was something different for Castiel. He just knew it that it was right. Maybe they have met in another lifetime.

Dean sat, enjoying the feel of Cas's thumb across his cheek. He'd never been as vulnerable as he was in the past few moments, but he didn't feel the immediate need to raise his guard again. After a few moments, Dean stifled a yawn, realizing it was getting late. "Well, d'you wanna get ready for bed and hit the hay?" He asked.

Castiel nodded, he slowly slid his hand from Dean's face and shoulder. He moved to sit on the bed before he reached for the button of his pants to take them off. He slid them off and folded them, setting it aside.

Dean only thought to avert his eyes after Cas had finished, when he glanced down to remove his own jeans and toss them in pile near the closet. He could hardly believe that Cas was in his bed, without pants. A week ago if Dean had been told there'd be a boy waiting to sleep in his bed, he'd probably have freaked out. But that was before Cas, and everything felt different now and he still had no idea how to feel about it but the only thought that calmed his mind was, it was Cas.

Castiel tilted his head at Dean, before he touched the hem of the blanket. He felt a stir of nervousness. He was wondering what if he slept weird? He glanced at Dean, wondering what he was thinking about. He peeled back the blanket a little, "You sleep in the dark don't you?" he asked.

Dean chuckled. "Yeah, normally." He said, standing so that he could hit the light switch off. "This okay with you?" He asked, maneuvering the dark room back to the bed.

Castiel still sat on the edge of the bed, "Yes, this is fine." he said. He was wondering how this was going to work. He has never slept in the same bed as someone before. Was he going to make things weird? Was this a bad suggestion?

Dean pulled back the covers carefully, his eyes not completely adjusted but able to make out Cas's form on the edge of the bed. "You coming?" He asked, wondering if Cas was actually uncomfortable before remembering what he'd said about being honest. He slid himself beneath the blankets, leaving them open for Cas to lay beside him.

"Dean?" Castiel glanced in the general direction of the bed when it dipped lower. "I'm not really sure how you want us to sleep? I've never slept with anyone else in my bed before." he asked. "I'm a bit worried that I sleep weirdly." he added.

"You're worried you sleep weirdly?" Dean repeated. "Cas, sleep however's comfortable. As long as you don't kick me off in the middle of the night, I don't care." He joked. "But if you're really worried, I can still get a couple blankets and sleep on the floor." He added.

Castiel huffed a little, "No. It's fine. " he glanced back at Dean before he peeled back the blankets and scooted under. He was facing Dean's silhouette. There was a bit of light from the window and it was cast on Castiel's back and on Dean's face. He glanced at Dean. "This okay?" he asked.

Dean smiled slightly. "Yeah, it's good with me." He replied, glancing across the silhouette cast by the light behind Cas. He pulled the blankets up his side, settling into his pillow. "Good with you?" He asked, wanting to make sure before he fell asleep.

Castiel hummed his response. "Yes this is fine." he smiled a little. He could feel the heat radiating off of Dean and hear his breathing. It was soothing in a way. Castiel scooted a little closer, before settling. "Goodnight Dean." he said softly.

"Night, Cas." Dean murmured drowsily in response. He could feel the light dip of the bed beside him from Cas's weight and his steady breathing lulled Dean quickly to sleep.


	3. So...What are we?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after Cas spends at Dean's house they go to the gymnastic area like they said and they clear things up on the way before something comes up.

In the morning, Castiel blinked awake, only to have Dean's facial features in his direct vision. He didn't freak out but his eyes widened since he almost forgot where he was, they were a lot closer than they were when they fell asleep. One arm was resting casually over him. He glanced at the arm then back at Dean, who looked really peaceful. He'd figured he should probably go get ready but he was a little distracted. Eventually he slowly moved away from Dean, climbing out of bed. He got changed into the clothes that were folded up. He glanced over at Dean again before he slowly made his way to the door and opened it quietly and slipped out.

Dean stirred slightly at the lack of warmth beside him, curling further into the bed in an attempt to make up for it. His eyes groggily opened, confused for a moment about why the bed felt emptier than normal, until he suddenly remembered. Cas. He glanced around the room, frowning when he didn't see him. For a split second he was worried it had been a dream, before realizing that he must have just gone down stairs or something. He yawned, figuring he might as well get up, if only to find Cas.

Castiel found Bobby in the morning and he showed him the bathroom and gave him a toothbrush. Then he went downstairs to go get food ready. He was just walking about in the kitchen putting things together. It was a quiet morning in Dean's home.

Dean rolled out of bed, pulling on jeans and what he assumed to be a clean shirt, running his hand through his hair as he walked down stairs. "Cas?" He called quietly, not sure who was awake or not. He saw him in the kitchen and walked over to him. "Morning." He greeted with a yawn.

Castiel glanced back at Dean, "Good morning Dean." He said as he shuffled around a bit more. He was basically done doing what he came down for. He washed the colander and dishes from yesterday.

"You didn't have to clean everything up." Dean said, glancing at the now clean sink. "D'you need help with anything?" He offered, though it looked like Cas was pretty much finished.

Castiel shook his head, "No I'm done now." He said, finishing the last sandwich and bagging it up. He turned around to face Dean, "You're up. I thought I was going to wake you." He commented.

Dean shrugged. "I dunno, it wasn't as warm when you were gone." He replied. "D'you want me to make breakfast? We don't have anything fancy or anything, but I make a pretty good bowl of cereal." He said with a grin.

Castiel smiled, "Really? I guess I just have to try it." He said. He put all the sandwiches in the fridge for everyone else later. He looked back at Dean, "Should I just sit down then?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Take a seat, relax." Dean said with a grin, going to the pantry and grabbing a box of cereal. He grabbed two bowls, tossing one in the air and catching it before setting them on the counter as well. He poured the cereal in and added milk with a flourish, grinning as he grabbed a couple of spoons and set the bowl before Cas. "Best bowl of cereal you've ever had." He guaranteed with a chuckle.

Castiel chuckled, "Wow, I'm amazed." He smiled. He took the spoon from Dean and took a bite of the food. "Compliments to the cook." He said amused.

Sam wandered down at this point, completely dressed. "Dean's awake? Interesting. Morning guys." He greeted.

"I don't always sleep in." Dean replied with an eye roll, though he realized that wasn't really true. This was the first time he wasn't waking up in the afternoon in a long time or woken up this early. He turned to his cereal, taking a spoonful.

Sam looked at Dean with a disbelieving look before he turned back into the kitchen. He took the cereal and made himself a bowl. He leaned on the counter as he ate it. "What's with the sandwiches?" He asked.

"Those are for you and Bobby." Castiel replied. "Lunches."

Dean grinned, swallowing a mouthful of cereal. "Yup, we had extra stuff and Cas made them." He said with a grin.

Castiel nodded, "I figured you would want something to eat too." He said.

Sam smiled, "Thanks Cas." He said. "That's nice of you." He said.

"I figured you guys might want something to eat later so I just helped." Castiel smiled. "You're welcome." he added.

They talked for a bit before Sam put his bowl away and looked at them, "Well bye Cas, see you whenever." he said before going upstairs.

Dean finished the last bit of cereal and drank the milk, turning to Cas. "You finished? I'll put the bowls up." He offered, since he had cleaned up their dinner.

Castiel nodded, passing the bowl to Dean but getting up also. "I should probably go home. I need to get a few things before we go. Do you want me to come back and come get you?" He asked.

Dean glanced at him as he was rinsing out the bowls and setting them in the washer. "We can go together, save you the trip and we can go straight there after you grab your things." he offered.

Castiel smiled a little, "You can grab your CDs. I can meet you outside then." He said, grabbing his bag.

"Be right out." Dean replied, jogging up the stairs and grabbing the CDs, jogging back down to meet Cas by the car. "Alright, let's go." he grinned. Castiel got in the car and put his bag in the back, putting on his seatbelt and started the car.

Dean slid into the passenger seat, buckling up and glancing over at Cas. "Is anyone going to be home? Do you want me to come in when you get there?" he asked..

Castiel looked at Dean, admittedly a little nervous to show Dean what he actually did. "I don't think anyone is home, but I'll be in and out so you can just wait here.." He replied, before he turned on the car and put it in reverse and started heading to his house.

Dean nodded, putting in one of the CDs as they drove, enjoying just listening to music with him and occasionally singing along to the parts that knew. Castiel smiled, listening to Dean sing. They just drove with music on.

"I hope you won't get bored watching." Castiel commented.

"Nah, I don't think I will. Besides, you're gonna show off all the cool stuff you can do, right?" Dean asked with a grin.

Castiel laughed a little, "Maybe. I'm not one to show off, but I'll try to impress you." He said.

"Sounds good to me." Dean replied. "It won't take much to impress me, really." He added. "I was already amazed yesterday." he laughed too.

Castiel calmed down a little and glanced over at Dean, "I feel like you always see the worst of me, so I hope I can amaze you." He said softly.

"I don't mind. That's what I'm here for, to be here for you." Dean replied quietly. "I like all the parts of you, good and bad." He smiled slightly. "That sounds really cheesy, but it's true."

Castiel shook his head, "It's not cheesy." He replied. "What I said yesterday was." He chuckled a little. "It sounds better not translated." He told him.

"Nah, that wasn't cheesy. It was nice. It was what I needed to hear." Dean admitted. "But it did sound pretty badass not translated." He added with a grin.

Castiel smiled, "It's not a common language. I don't normally explain it to people or speak it." He said. "It was different saying it to someone."

Dean smiled. "Another first?" He asked, feeling admittedly special. He really enjoyed doing new things with Cas, giving him new experiences.

Castiel nodded, "To talk to on my own, yes." He said. "The promise is one too."

"That's not the first promise that someone's made me, but it's definitely one of the first I actually believe." Dean replied with a small smile.

Castiel smiled again, "I'm glad then." They arrived at his house not long after and he left the keys in the car. "I'll be right back." he said before getting out and jogging inside his house.

Dean watched him go before leaning back against the seat and turning up the music. He was nervous but also excited to see what Cas could do. This was special to him so Dean was happy he could make Cas happy.

Castiel came back after a few moments and he buckled himself in. Dean reached to turn down the music just slightly so they could talk but Castiel shook his head, "It's okay, I like your music." he smiled before starting to drive off again.

Dean was more confident to sing this time mostly with the music being louder so he could sing more and it could be drowned out a little. Castiel smiled and nodded his head along with the beat, driving for a while before they came to a less civilized location.

It was in an open area but not many places around it. It was really big, though the area seemed bare. "There's actually a restaurant close to here, we can stop by after if you want." Castiel offered as he parked the car.

"I think you can sit on the inside of the gym to watch. So you won't be looking in from a window." He said. "You won't get hit, I promise." He added as he started the car.

Dean laughed, buckling up. "Wow, I don't have to watch through a window and I won't get hit? You're rolling out the red carpet for me." He joked. "And okay, sounds good to me." He replied, stepping out of the car and looking around.

Castiel laughed a little, "I mean that you're going to be sitting in the side and there's going to be a lot of commotion going on so I know you won't get hit. And yes, personally I want you in the room and not through a window if you want to watch. It's not the same." He said, pulling the car out and going.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I want to be in the same room too. Easier to cheer you on." He said with a grin.

Castiel smiled, "Let's hope I don't mess up because you're there." He said.

"I'd probably still cheer if you messed up." Dean replied with a laugh.

Castiel got out of the car, taking clothes with him. He locked the car and gave the keys to Dean. "I think these will be better with you." He said. He led Dean in, checking in the front desk, "Milton." He said.

The receptionist nodded allowing him in. Castiel glanced back at Dean, before he continued walking. He led them to the locker room. "Okay well, you can walk out those doors and can take a seat anywhere. If you can't sit where you are I'll tell you. I'll change and be right out." Castiel exclaimed.

"Okay, see ya in a few." Dean said and nodded, going where Cas instructed. He found a seat that looked okay to sit in, watching other people idly. He was really interested to see all of the stuff Cas could do, especially since he seemed so proud of it.

Castiel opened his locker, taking out his shoes. He changed his pants and put it away and locked his locker back up before he put on his different shoes and walked out. He saw people warming up, not doing anything too exerting right now. He walked over to Dean, sitting on the mat in front of him.

"That's a good place to sit, you can basically see the whole gym." He said. He had to stretch. He straddled his legs, spreading them outwards before reaching over and stretching each leg. He laid flat when stretching in the middle. He glanced up at Dean who looked shocked, "I'm sorry. This probably looks weird." He said.

Dean chuckled. "No, it's okay. I mean, yeah, it looks weird, but I don't want you to pull a muscle or anything." He replied, knowing that he couldn't stretch nearly as far as Cas was.

Castiel nodded a little, doing a few different stretches. He stretched his wrist and rolled his ankles, rolled his shoulders and did the splits on both legs. He got up and did a backbend then into a walk over. He stretched his arms over his head, having his normal stretches done. Now he had to do flyer stretches. He didn't see any of his bases around to help him he sighed softly. He wanted to ask Dean but thought that would be weird to ask him.

Dean watched him curiously, having no idea what Cas was doing most of the time but not minding. He frowned slightly when he heard Cas sigh. "Something wrong?" He asked, hoping he wasn't in the way or anything.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "No. I just need to do certain stretches and I need someone to help me. I didn't want to bother you since you don't really know what I'm doing." He said. "It's a little weird and I don't want to make you uncomfortable." He added.

"Well, I could try to help if you tell me how to do them." Dean replied with a shrug. "I'm not exactly flexible, but I can do whatever you need me to." He said, not wanting to make Cas leave just because he didn't know what to do.

Castiel pressed his lips together for a moment before he took Dean's wrist, walking him on the mat. He had him stand behind him. Castiel took both of Dean's arms and extended them past the both of them.

"Okay I'm going to hold myself on your right arm as a stabilizer and I'm going to pull my left leg up and I'm going to need you to pull my leg toward you and over to your right, like towards my head." He explained. He glanced at Dean, "Okay?" He asked. He got a nod so he kicked his leg up, catching his foot in the instep and pulled it up and back as he held onto Dean's right forearm.

Dean blinked, shocked at how Cas had managed to get his foot that far up. He got out of the initial surprise, pulling the foot back like Cas had instructed. "Damn, are you made of rubber?" He asked with a laugh, wondering how that didn't hurt like hell.

Castiel laughed a little, "Practice and stretching. It doesn't hurt anymore. I gradually got this flexible." He said, pulling his leg higher and back.

He took Dean's hand he was resting on and moved it to hold his side. He balanced himself out and put his other hand on his lifted foot, pulling it over and a little back so he could slip his hand out from between his stretched leg and waist and grabbed his heel and held it. It was a little further than a straight up and down split.

He counted softly before he let go, "Okay we have to repeat it on the other leg." He said. They did this leg quicker than the first. Castiel shook out his legs before he extended out Dean's hands again. He stood between them facing sideways. "I'm going to be pulling my leg up from behind me and I'm going to need you to grab my knee it upper thigh and upper torso and push them together. Then halfway through I'm going to be switching to a different position but keep holding it, don't lighten it up." He said.

He glanced at Dean, getting the okay again. "Step away a little then come in." He instructed. Castiel grabbed his foot and rotated his hip bringing it up behind him and having his other hand grabbing his foot too. He pulled his torso up and lowered one hand onto his ankle and pulled, getting his leg straighter.

"Okay, you can step in now. I just need to get my leg straighter." He said. His leg was basically straight except for a slight bend. He was working toward an extended scorpion.

Dean did as Cas told him, stepping in with an arched brow. He definitely never thought that was even possible. "Well, you've already impressed me." He said, watching as he straightened his leg further.

Castiel laughed a little, "I guess then what else I'm going to be showing you later is me showing off then." he said. He moved his grip on his ankle and let go with his other hand, bending the lower part of his back. He counted out a little before he glanced at Dean. "Okay I'm going to be letting go of my leg and I'm going to switch my position again. I'm doing the same thing as the first thing but I'm not holding my leg, I'll be holding your arm." he instructed.

Dean grinned, excited to see what else he could do. He nodded as Cas explained what he was going to do next, focusing on doing what Cas had instructed him. He'd never realized how intense this sort of thing was, but it was obvious it wasn't exactly easy.

Castiel sighed softly after he finished stretching, feeling limber. He smiled at Dean, "Thank you." he said.

The rest of the group was meeting in the center so Castiel waved at Dean a little before he went toward the group. They were talking about today's plan. "Okay guys, go warm up your standings. Then some of your runnings. I'll spot you if you need it but I don't think any of you do." The guy leader of the group spoke. "Alright line up."

Everyone got into a line and stood there for a second. "5. 5...6...7...8" the guy counted and everyone in a line did a back hand spring right after each other. They stood back where they were and the guy counted again. This time everyone did a backtuck. "Alright last time, your choice." he said.

Castiel glanced at Dean before the guy started counting. It went from double back hand springs, to tucks, to layouts, to twisting layouts. Castiel did a twisting layout with the leader. The guy looked over at everyone. "We'll start practicing stunts soon. Alright onto running." he said.

Dean kept his eyes on Cas, not having any knowledge on what everything he did was supposed to look like, but thinking that Cas had definitely done everything better than the others. He gave Cas a grin and a thumbs up when he glanced over, then watched curiously as he made his way over to the mat.

Everyone found their own station. Some were on the mat floor, some were on the long mat runs, and some on the trampoline. Castiel was on the mat floor. There were four other people. Each took a corner and went in a criss-cross fashion.

Castiel breathed out, watching the others go before it was his turn. He drummed his fingers on his thighs, bouncing on his toes before he went. He did a power round off into a double back hand spring, step out, cartwheel, tuck. He exhaled as he ended, being on the other side of the mat. There was a few more runnings and the last one Castiel did was his best. Power round off, tuck, backhand spring, step out, round off front flip into a forward roll. He did a back walk over into a double back hand spring and twisted in a double layout. He stood back up, breathing a little out of breath but did it.

Dean watched with wide eyes, not realizing he'd been holding his breath until it came out in a rush when Cas finished. He started to clap before realizing that no one had cheered for the others and seeing a few people turn to look at him. He gave him a thumbs up instead, still grinning proudly.

"Who's boyfriend is that?" Some girl asked.

Castiel waved to Dean, laughing a little at how excited he looked. The two girls looked at each other, "Okay...so it's Castiel's?" they glanced back over at Dean.

"I dunno. That guy doesn't look like the type to swing for guys. Maybe they're friends?" the other girl suggested.

"I don't think you would look that happy for a friend." the first girl commented.

"That's too bad. He's really good looking." the other girl shrugged.

"Hmmm, maybe we can sway his thoughts? What does Castiel that we can't be better in?" the first girl smirked. She walked over into Dean's direction. "Hey there. What are you doing over here?" she asked with a smile.

Dean looked over at the girls as they approached. "Oh, hey. I'm watching my friend, Cas." He replied, glancing over at him to make sure he wasn't doing anything before looking back at them. He had hesitated ever so slightly before saying they were only friends, since he wasn't sure what else to call themselves yet. "You friends of his?" He asked, glancing between them.

They glanced at each other, "...Yeah. You can say that." they said. "So you're only friends with him?" The first girl, who had dirty blond hair asked.

The other girl with brunette hair just waited for his answer. Castiel walked back to the other group as everyone else finished. He glanced over at Dean's direction, seeing him talking to two girls. He felt a stab of disappointment that he lost Dean's attention. It was selfish but he couldn't help it.

"Uh, yeah, we go to school together." Dean replied, glancing back at Cas again. He had no idea what to say to them, since he didn't know how well Cas knew them. He tore his eyes away from Cas since he wasn't doing anything, but wasn't exactly sure why they were talking to him in the first place.

"Oh, well are you dating someone? A guy like you? I think you would at least have someone." The blond girl smiled.

The brunette glanced at her friend before back at the group. She nudged her friend and tipped her head. They were starting to stunt. Castiel got put in his group as did everyone else. He glanced at Dean only to see him still talking. His bases snapped their fingers in front of his face, "Set." They said.

Castiel shook his head clear and nodded. He set into the stunt and they counted. He pushed up and went and did a lib as a start. He was a little unstable, dropping his hip. "Cradle." He called out.

They quickly popped him and he dropped back down. "You okay Castiel? You're normally really concentrated." They said.

Castiel nodded, "I'm sorry. I can get it." He said.

Dean stifled the urgent roll his eyes. "Look, you seem nice and all, but I'm here to watch Cas, alright?" He said, starting to doubt that they were actually his friend. He turned back to watch Cas, cursing internally when he realized he'd missed something.

"You're paying extra close attention for a friend. Are you sure that's it?" She asked.

The brunette rolled her eyes, going back to the group. Castiel set back in the stunt, concentrating not to look over at Dean. He went up again and did a hang. He wobbled a bit, starting to fall again. "Squeeze!" The backspot told Castiel. Castiel stiffened before he went into a lib and held it for a few seconds before he started moving again. "Smoosh." The backspot told them.

Castiel quickly came down, sighing. "I'm sorry." He said.

"What's it to you?" Dean replied with a frown, noticing that Cas seemed to be having some sort of trouble. "I'm here for him, not you." He said, not looking her way again.

The blond girl huffed, "No need to be a dick about it. I was just asking." she said.

Castiel's group sighed, "You were doing so well on tumbling today. Maybe you're not in the mood to stunt." they said.

Castiel shook his head, "I'll fix it, I just need to go get a drink." he said, walking out toward the fountain.

Dean ignored her, frowning as he saw Cas leave to get water. He stood up, jogging up beside him as he walked to the fountain. "Hey, the stuff you were doing was really cool." He said with a grin.

Castiel glanced at Dean before looking down as he walked. "Are you just saying that? Were you even watching?" he asked. He felt sad that Dean had said he wouldn't get bored but he did, he couldn't really blame him for wanting to talk to someone if he did get bored. Maybe it was a bad idea to bring him here.

Dean winced slightly, hating that Cas had seen him talking to them. "I'm sorry, I was watching, but then those girls came over-they said they were your friends- and I didn't realize you were going again." He apologized, guilt ridden at having disappointed him. "I'm sorry. Seriously."

Castiel glanced over at Dean, "It's not your fault. If you were getting bored you could have left. I gave you the keys. I don't want to bore you. I know you don't understand any of this and it seems like I'm demanding your attention. At most I should at least give you the option of leaving." he replied. They stopped by the fountain and were just standing there.

"No, no, Cas, I'm not bored, I promise. I don't want to leave. It's really cool to watch you, I'm enjoying it." Dean replied, wishing he could think of some way to make it up to him.

Castiel looked at him, "You're not just saying that? You're not just saying that to make me feel better because I took you here and I'm just having these weird emotions?" he asked. He sighed softly, "It's okay if you don't actually like it, I'm not forcing you to like what I do. It makes me feel like it's my fault."

"Cas," Dean said, putting his hand across Cas's shoulders. "I want to be here. I like watching you. I think what you're doing is really cool, and I'm being completely honest." He said.

Castiel stared at Dean for a few moments before he sighed a little. "I'm not used to feeling all these mixes of emotions. I felt sad that you weren't watching, guilt for bringing you here, disappointment when you weren't watching, jealousy when you were talking to that girl, then doubt. Doubt that you actually like me or some pretty girl is going to catch your eye and I wouldn't know what to do because I can't stand to that." he said softly near the end.

"Some pretty girl's not going to catch my eye, Cas. I was only trying to be nice because I thought they were your friends." Dean said. "I like watching you, I like that you wanted me to come, and I...I like you. I don't care about anyone else in this gym." He said, taking Cas's hand gently.

Castiel felt some of the feelings that were knotting his stomach slowly disappear. He had Dean reassuring him a lot, though it is something he wanted to hear. He stared at Dean for a few moments, "You reassure me a lot. Thank you." he said. He stroked his thumb across Dean's knuckles. He tilted his head a little at him, hearing the group calling him back.

Castiel glanced over before looking back at Dean, feeling better. He looked up at Dean, "If I can hit my stunts I want you to...to kiss me as a reward." he said as he slipped his hand from Dean's taking a quick drink before jogging back to his group. He nodded at them feeling confident.

Dean nodded, but Cas was already off to rejoin his group. He watched him go, smiling slightly to himself as he walked back to his seat on the mat. He made sure his complete focus was on Cas, not allowing any distractions this time.

"Ready?" They asked.

Castiel nodded. "Start one, clasp 5, dip 1." he said. "Do our partner stunt." he told them.

They looked at him, "You sure? You couldn't do a lib earlier." they said.

Castiel nodded, "I can do it." he replied.

"Fold down?" The backspot asked.

"Double." Castiel replied.

They looked at each other then back at Castiel, "Okay." they all stood there for a second and then started count. They all clasped on 5 and set. They dipped, putting Castiel in the air. He immediately went into a heel stretch that pulled into a bow and arrow. He grabbed his heel again adjusting the grip and let go of his leg and put his arms outwards in a no hands. They dipped and tossed him and he switched legs, keeping his arms out. They dipped him back down and switched grips and bounced into a half turn and put him back up. He grabbed his foot and pulled a scorpion which turned out to be a needle. He popped an arm out, turning it into a scale and he let go of his other hand, making it into an arabesque. They popped him and he twisted in the air with his hands around his chest. They quickly dipped and popped him back in a set and put him back up as they turned forward again. He grabbed his leg and did a chin chin, waving his hands. He put his leg down near the other in a hand and they pulled his legs out into a suicide. They caught him by the chest and upper torso and he front walked over out of the stunt. They grinned, jumping up at down.

"WOW! THAT WAS PERFECT!" they cheered.

Dean watched with bated breath, mesmerized as Cas went from move to move. He could hardly believe anyone would be able to do any of that or that it was possible at all. Any idea of gymnastics being easy we're gone from his head as Dean watched Cas do his final stunt. He would've thought it was exceptional regardless, but the shock and cheering from his group made it obvious that he'd done it perfectly. Dean stood up and clapped with them, beaming.

Castiel grinned, running over to Dean and hugging him. "I did it!" he said happily. His stunt group was all grinning. The leader of the group got a video of it and showed the team the re-run while Castiel hugged Dean. "I really did it. I haven't gotten past the double before or put it all together. You must be my good luck charm." he smiled.

Dean smiled, hugging him back tightly. "That was awesome. If I'm your good luck charm, I'll have to come back more often." He said, pulling away slightly from the hug. "And you definitely did that perfectly, so it looks like I owe you a reward." He added with a grin.

"Later." Castiel told. "I want a kiss where there are no onlookers or disruption." He glanced at Dean and smiled a little.

"Sounds good to me." Dean murmured before letting Cas go, grinning. "I'm glad you brought me. And I'm glad I brought you good luck." He added with a laugh.

Castiel smiled, "I am too." He said. "Practice is almost over so we can go soon." He told him. The leader called him over and Castiel waved to Dean. The blond girl grumbled from earlier while her brunette friend laughed, smiling.

Dean waved back, watching Cas go back to his group. He did his best to ignore the girls, hand clenching slightly as he kept his eyes on Cas.

Castiel got a pat on the back by the leader. "Alright guys, good practice today. Come back and tumble but if not, see you guys next week." He said. "Alright, dismiss." He said.

Castiel looked back at Dean and walked toward him. "I'm just going to get changed real fast, you can wait by that door and I'll meet you." He said, directing Dean.

"Alright, see ya in a minute." Dean replied, walking towards the door where Cas had indicated. He stood there, waiting and idly watching the other people practice.

Castiel quickly went into the locker room in a good mood. He got changed and locked up his shoes again. He walked out of the locker room and walked into the two girls. The blond one sighed and rolled her eyes, pushing past Castiel. The brunette steadied a hand on Castiel's shoulder. "Sorry. She's just a little upset she couldn't woo your boyfriend. He's a keeper by the way. Congratulations on your relationship." She said before following after the blond girl.

Castiel watched her go before going over to Dean. "Okay we can go." He said.

"Okay. What'd that girl say?" Dean asked curiously, having noticed them brush past Castiel. He walked with him out of the gym and towards the car.

Castiel looked at Dean, "One girl was upset she didn't have your attention and the other was laughing at her friend for failing. She congratulated me on my relationship and said you were a keeper." He replied. They walked out to the car just standing there. "Do you want me to drive?" He asked, since Dean still had the keys.

Dean grinned. "I'm a keeper, huh?" He chuckled, pulling out the keys. "Yeah, I'll drive, no problem."

Castiel nodded, "Okay. I'll just direct you." He said. Dean unlocked the car and they settled inside. Castiel bucked himself up. "And yes you are a keeper." He replied, looking over at Dean as he started the car.

"You are too." Dean glanced at him and smiled slightly, buckling up and driving out of the parking lot, following Cas's directions.

The restaurant that Castiel directed Dean to was a little diner. It had a handful of people in it, but it wasn't jammed pack. They got out of the car and locked it. "I used to stop by here when I didn't have time to go home and cook or I got lazy." Castiel replied. "You said you liked burgers right? This would be the place." He smiled, leading Dean in.

"Awesome." Dean replied, liking the look of the place. It seemed like a place that would have amazing burgers and milkshakes, which was his favorite kind of place.

Castiel smiled, asking for a booth for two. They sat down and got menus. Soon a blond girl came over, "Hey Castiel. Haven't seen you in a while." She said.

Castiel nodded, "I've been busy with changing schools." He said.

"Again?" She asked. "This school okay with you?" She asked.

Castiel nodded, "It's been better." He smiled.

She looked over at Dean, "You brought a friend. Name's Jo. Nice to meet ya." Jo greeted.

"I'm Dean." He replied with a smile, glancing over at Cas. It was nice to know he had someone else who cared about him outside of the family and she seemed to actually be a friend, which was nice.

Jo smiled, taking a pen out of her hair. "Alright, you guys know what you want yet?" She asked.

Castiel glanced at her, "Dean and I will get the same thing, the usual please. Fries for him though." He asked.

Jo nodded, "Burger guy huh? We have the best burgers, but can't really knock it til you try it." She wrote down. "Something to drink?" She asked.

"Water for you right? You look like you just got out of practice." She commented.

Castiel laughed a little, "That noticeable? Yes, I just did. Dean accompanied me there." He said.

Dean grinned and nodded. "Yeah, definitely a burger guy. And Cas was kicking ass and taking names today. I'm glad I got to see it." He added proudly.

Jo glanced between Castiel and Dean. She arched a brow at Dean, "So...Dating?" She asked.

Dean glanced uncertainly at Cas. He wasn't even sure what they were and he didn't know what Cas would want him to say. "Uh, yeah, sort of." He compromised.

Jo nodded a little. "Alright. Okay. Well I'll be back. Ash will bring your drinks." She said, leaving.

Castiel looked over at Dean, "Are we?" He asked. He looked a bit nervous on Dean's answer.

Dean looked at Cas and shrugged slightly. "I don't really know. I mean, we're hanging out, but we're more than friends..." He trailed off and shrugged again. "I dunno what else to call it."

Castiel glanced down at his fingers, "Are we not in a relationship? Can we kiss friends?" He asked.

Dean leaned across the table, trying to catch his eye. "Cas, I don't know. We have some sort of relationship and I know I want to be more than friends, but what do you want?" He asked.

Castiel played with his fingers. "I want to be more than friends. I want...I want to kiss you. Be in a relationship." He replied, trailing off quietly near the end.

Dean reached over and took Cas's hands in his. "Then that's what we'll do. I just wasn't sure of that's what you wanted too, but it looks like we're on the same page." He replied with a reassuring smile

Castiel smiled at Dean. "So we can be?" He asked. "This isn't something you would get bored of in the span of a week and find someone else? I'm not a conquest?" He asked.

Ash came by with a tray of drinks. "Sup fellas. Water for you and I brought you water and a soda. Just in case." He said, not bothered they were holding hands. "If y'all need a different drink or a refill. Just holler." He said.

Dean barely glanced up when Ash came, keeping his focus on Cas. "I won't get tired of you, I won't get bored, and I definitely won't go off to someone else. Cas, this isn't a conquest. I care about you. So yes, we can be in a relationship. Dating. Whatever you want to call it, I don't even care, as long as it's us."

Ash had made his disappearance as quick as he came. Castiel blushed as he smiled. He squeezed Dean's hand. "I don't either. Just having you there is enough." He replied.

Dean relaxed, grinning easily again. "Awesome. Then it looks like we want the same thing. Each other." He laughed, feeling relieved and glad.

Castiel laughed a little, "That sounds cheesy." He said. The atmosphere around them was a lot nicer, personal. He smiled softly at Dean, "Thank you for coming in today. I know you don't understand it but it meant a lot." He said.

"Anytime. I may not have really known what was happening, but it was really cool. I liked watching you." Dean replied. "And I think I'm a lot cheesier with you." He added with a chuckle.

Castiel smiled, "I'm okay with that." He replied. "It's endearing." He said as he rubbed a thumb over Dean's knuckles. Dean's hands were slightly bigger than his, scatter with freckles and a little rough. Castiel tipped his head to the side, looking at Dean. "I do better when I have someone to impress, I suppose." He chuckled.

"Then I guess I'll have to come more often." Dean replied. "I like being impressed." He said, smiling. He was enjoying how Cas was lightly rubbing his thumb across his knuckles- it was oddly comfortable and felt intimate.

Jo came back with a tray, looking at them. "I know I'm like a stranger but I don't judge. You could have said you were dating." She said, setting the plates down.

"We kind of just cleared it up just now." Castiel told her.

Jo nodded, "Oh that's good. Well bacon cheeseburger, extra cheese with everything on it. Side of fries but mash potatoes for Castiel." She said back.

Castiel looked at her, "Thank you." He smiled.

"Anytime Castiel. Just doing my job. Enjoy your food guys." She said before she left.

Castiel let go of Dean's hand so he could eat. "Did I make a good choice?" He asked.

Dean's eyes widened slightly at the plate of food. "Cas, this looks incredible." He replied reverently. "So yeah, I think you made the best choice." He said, rubbing his hands together before picking up the massive burger and taking a bite.

Castiel laughed, seeing Dean stuff his cheeks. "I think you're a food enthusiast." He commented. He had a knife to cut his in half and into 4 pieces. He picked up a piece and bit into it. It was still as good as when he first had it.

Dean chewed and swallowed the huge mouthful, grinning. "Food enthusiast. That's a nice way to say I like wolfing food down." He chuckled, taking a few fries.

Castiel laughed a little, "It's true. So it doesn't matter the term." He smiled. He ate at a normal pace, being amused by Dean.

Dean paused to take a drink before going back to the burger, suddenly realizing that Cas was watching him. "What? Do I have something on my face?" He asked, mouth inches from taking another bite.

"Actually yes you do." Castiel chuckled. "I was just watching how happy you looked eating." He said, picking up a napkin for Dean.

Dean took the napkin and wiped his face, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah, I do like food. I like eating, really, and just not being hungry in general." He said with a chuckle, making an effort to eat at a more normal pace.

Castiel smiled, "I can see that." He said. "You don't have to change the way you eat because of me. If you want to eat like you were it's fine. I don't really mind. You just kind of remind me of a squirrel and it's cute." He chuckled a little. He had eaten most of his food like Dean had. He was just slowly picking through the mash potatoes.

Dean finished off his burger with a shrug. "I'm not starving, but I always eat like I am." He said with a chuckle, pouring out some ketchup beside his fries. "A squirrel though? Not my top choice of animal to be compared to." He joked.

"I don't know what other animal stuffs it's cheeks. Hamster? Chinchilla? Bunnies?" Castiel tipped his head to the side. He was slowly finishing his food as they talked.

"Yeah, still not exactly the kind of animals I'd want to be compared to." Dean replied, laughing. "But I guess stuffing my cheeks would be sort of chipmunk-y."

Castiel laughed, "That's fitting. I like hamster too. I can imagine a sandy colored hamster." He smiled. "At least you can choose an animal many people adore and find cute."

"I don't want to be cute." Dean protested with a laugh. "I'm tough. And fierce." He added, sitting up a little straighter and squaring his shoulders.

Castiel laugh with a grin. "You remind me a tiger cub now. Still cute, but tough and fierce." He replied. "Now you get all three." He added.

Dean laughed again. "I guess I'll accept tiger cub. Better than a bunny, anyways." He said. "You remind me of a cat. Dark fur, blue eyes, almost creepily flexible." He joked.

Castiel arched a brow, "I'm not that flexible. I worked toward that, anyone can do that with practice. I wasn't born flexible." He laughed a little. "Cat huh? I can see you as a cat. Those are fierce and tough." He smiled.

"Still, it's really impressive. And I don't mind being a cat, they're pretty cool. They've at least got claws." He said with a grin.

Castiel chucked, "That's true." He said.

Jo came back over, "Guys doing okay? Well seeing as you already finished I'm assuming yes. Fit your taste Dean?" She smirked.

"Yeah, definitely. Cas was right, that was one of the best burgers I've had." Dean replied, looking up at her.

Jo laughed, "Thought so. I'll tell mom you said that." She said.

"Ellen is here today?" Castiel asked.

"Yeah, short a hand today so she stepped in." She explained.

Dean watched the exchange between them, wondering how often Cas must come here to know Jo's mom. Castiel looked over at Dean, tilting his head a little.

Jo glanced over at Dean. "So how long have you known each other?" She asked.

"Um...recently." Castiel replied. He didn't want to say that they only knew each other for about a week and they were already dating.

Jo arched a brow, "Okay..." she looked over at Dean, "Is he getting roughed up in school? I met him a few years back and he..." she shook her head. "I nearly skinned those bastards alive. Mom took him in and we took care of his wounds." She explained.

"A little at first." Dean admitted. "But I helped him out. I don't think they'll bother him again for a while." He said, definitely hoping so. "And trust me, I wanted to skin them alive too." He added, deciding that he liked her.

Jo grinned, "I like you Dean. You seem sincere. Bet I could still take you down though." She smirked.

Dean grinned. "That sounds like a challenge." He replied, arching a brow. "Are you challenging a customer?" He joked.

Jo arched a brow, shifting her weight to one hip. "Dunno. Does it sound like a challenge?" She asked. "It depends on what you think." She said. Castiel chuckled, watching them.

"Sound like a challenge to me." Dean replied with a jaunty grin. "We're on the same side, but I bet I could take you."

Jo arched a brow crossing her arms with a taunting smile. "Yeah? We can go."

Ellen walked out, "Stop challenging our customers. They sometimes don't come back after they lose." She said.

Castiel smiled, "Hello Ellen." He greeted.

"Hello Castiel." Ellen smiled. "And who's this?" She asked, looking at Dean.

"Dean Winchester." Dean replied, looking up at the other woman. "Nice to meet you." He said, liking their family already.

"Ellen Harvelle, nice to meet you. Jo challenging you?" Ellen asked.

Castiel nodded, "She says she can take him down." He said.

Ellen glanced over at Dean before at Jo, "I dunno honey. You might have a run for your money." She chuckled.

Dean chuckled. "Well, I'd definitely rather have her on my side than going against her." He replied, glancing over at Jo.

Jo grinned, "See I wasn't challenging him. He had agreed so it's more like a duel." She explained.

Ellen rolled her eyes, "Another time." She said. Castiel laughed a little. Ellen looked over at them, "So you boys done?" She asked. "We have dessert. On the house."

Dean perked up. "I don't think it's possible for me to pass up free dessert." He replied. "Do you have any pie?" He asked hopefully.

Ellen laughed, "Pie it is." She smiled. "Ash!" She called back.

"On it!" Ash replied. Ellen looked back at the two, "I haven't seen you around Castiel, you look better." She commented.

"I've been better." Castiel replied, "I've had Dean." He said.

Ellen nodded her head thoughtfully, she looked over at Dean. "Just sticking out for him? It's probably his blue eyes that got you, wasn't it? Jo wouldn't be quiet about them once she saw him." She laughed.

"Hey! It was my first time seeing someone with blue eyes and dark hair. I was interested." Jo argued.

Dean laughed. "Actually, his eyes were what I first noticed." He replied, looking over at Cas. "I called him Blue Eyes before he finally told me his name." He added with a grin.

Castiel looked away shyly. Ellen glanced at him then back at Dean with a smile, "It's easy to make him embarrassed." she chuckled. "He was so innocent. We just couldn't let him get hurt. Guess I don't have to worry about it so much anymore." she looked at Dean knowingly. She pat him on the shoulder, "You're a good kid, come back anytime." she smiled before leaving to attend people around the bar.

Ash came by with a slice of pecan pie, "Here you go." he said, tossing up a fork and catching it and handing it to Dean. Jo smiled at them, "I'll hold you to it Winchester. We still have a duel to settle." she smirked as she left with Ash.

Dean chuckled as they left, getting a forkful of pie and turning back to Cas. "I like them. It's nice to know you've got some friends watching your back." He said, eating the piece of pie. "Mmm, especially when those friends give me free pie."

Castiel laughed a little, "They won your heart with pie. Yes, it's nice seeing them again." he smiled. He wrapped his ankle around Dean's as he ate the pie. "They've really helped me back then." he said.

"I'm glad you had them." Dean replied. "And I think this pie would win anyone over. Want a bite?" He offered, extending a forkful of pie.

Castiel chuckled before he leaned over and took the forkful. He sat back in his seat, "I think that's just you." he teased as he chewed the piece of pie.

"What can I say, I have a weakness for pie." Dean replied with a chuckle. "It's not as good as yours, though." He said.

Castiel smiled, "You like my pie better? Are you sure? They have really good pie here." he said. "Maybe we should order something for Sam and Bobby." he offered. "They need to eat too."

"Definitely like yours more. I mean, I definitely like this pie too." Dean replied. "And yeah, I guess we should get them something. Don't want them to starve."

Castiel chuckled, "Do you think they care on what we order for them?" he asked. "And thank you, that's very sweet of you to say." he smiled.

"Nah, I don't think so. And I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true." Dean added as he finished the last bite of pie. "Oh, we can bring home a couple more slices of pie." He said, half joking.

Castiel looked at Dean, "Do you want to bring home a few? We can." he said. "I'm just going to order them the same thing as us so if you want to bring home pie, that's fine with me."

"Sounds good to me." Dean replied. "And I'm sure Sam and Bobby will appreciate it." He said, leaning his elbows on the table. "And you've still got a reward to collect at some point." He added with a grin.

Castiel arched a brow at Dean, "Are you trying to get me to make out with you Dean?" he said in amused tone. "Maybe I could wait til you least expect it to happen." he teased.

He waved at Jo and they exchanged this whole gesture conversation and she went into the kitchen. Castiel looked pleased and content. He looked back at Dean, putting his elbows on the table as well and leaning toward Dean so they were sitting face to face. "Are you?" he asked with a smile.

"Maybe." Dean replied with a falsely casual shrug. "I mean, I wouldn't be opposed to it." He added with a grin.

Castiel chuckled, "Later. I'm not so sure I think I'm okay with onlookers or the possible chance of Jo making comments." He said.

Dean chuckled. "Yeah, I figured. Just wanted to remind you." He replied. He glanced around the diner, which wasn't too crowded. "I like this place. We'll have to come again."

Castiel nodded, "I was hoping you would like this place." he said. "We'll come by again soon." he added.

Jo came back with a bag, putting it on the table. "Here you guys go and here's the bill." she said.

Castiel pulled out his wallet and gave her a few bills. "Keep it." He smiled.

Jo grinned, "You're still a sweetheart." she said. "Hope you guys had a good DATE." she emphasized with a smirk before she left.

Dean rolled his eyes with a smile as Jo left, taking the bag of food. "I could've split that with you or something." He said, feeling guilty that Cas was paying for not only his dinner but Sam and Bobby's as well.

"Why?" Castiel asked. "I invited you, you stayed and watched my practice. You cleared a misunderstanding with me and I just want to do something nice for you." he said.

Dean thought about it for a moment. "Well, I wanted to do all of those things, but I guess you wanted to pay. Hm." He shrugged. "Okay, well, thanks. And I'm sure Sam and Bobby will thank you too."

Castiel smiled, "You're welcome." he said. They both got up from the booth. Castiel made sure to catch Ellen's attention and wave before he left.

"Come back soon Boys." she said.

Castiel waved and smiled, "We will." he said.

Jo waved to them, "See you Winchester. Bye Castiel." she smiled.

"Later dudes." Ash did a two finger salute.

Dean grinned and waved back to them with his free hand, the other carrying the food. "See you guys." He replied before turning and walking with Cas outside and towards the car.

Castiel walked next to Dean with a soft smile, feeling really good. He glanced down at Dean's free hand and glanced around them before gingerly hooking his pinky with Dean's. He glanced shyly up at Dean, seeing his reaction. Dean glanced at Cas out of the corner of his eye, a smile tugging on his lips. He twisted his hand slightly to hold Cas's hand fully.

Castiel smiled, glancing down at their feet as they walked. He tried to keep in step with Dean, keeping the same foot. Once they got to the car, Castiel kept hold of his hand. He didn't let Dean walk to his side yet. He gently pulled their held hands toward him, pulling Dean forward a little as he leaned up and kissed Dean.

Dean smiled as he walked along with Cas, pausing when he'd held their hands back. He leaned down to meet Cas's kiss gently, giving his hand a slight squeeze.

Castiel returned the squeeze, leaning up a bit more to have a full kiss before he pulled back. "I had fun today. Thank you for coming." he smiled.

"I had fun too. Thanks for bringing me." Dean replied. "I'll come back whenever you need a good luck charm." He said with a smile.

Castiel kept the soft smile on his face, letting Dean go now. "I think I'll take that as my reward." he said. "Unless you want to reward me." he said in a half joking tone.

Dean smirked, hand raising to the back of Cas's neck and leaning forward to kiss him again more passionately. He wrapped his other arm around his waist, turning him so that he to lean against the side of the car as he deepened the kiss. He broke off after a moment, keeping close. "That's the reward I had in mind." He murmured, smirk returning.

Castiel blanked out for a moment, looking at Dean. He didn't think that Dean was going to kiss him. He rested a hand on the side of Dean's neck and leaned up to kiss him again. He pulled Dean closer as he tried to deepen the kiss. Dean leaned in against him, pressing him slightly against the car. He ran his tongue across Cas's lower lip before tugging at it with his teeth.

Castiel moaned a little into him, dragging his nails a little on the side of Dean's neck. He pulled him closer into him, pressing his back against the car. Dean shivered slightly at his moan, more than willing to press himself against Cas. He put his hand against the car to hold himself up, his other hand rising to tangle in his hair. Castiel liked the pressure of Dean against him. He held onto Dean's arm as he had his hand rested on his neck. He slowly pulled away from the kiss, kissing his cheek.

He kept Dean close, smiling a little. "Yeah. This is what I had more in mind." He chuckled softly.

Dean laughed softly. "Well, I'd be happy to reward you any time then." He replied, meeting his gaze with a smile. He kept his hand just over Cas's shoulder, against the car, pushing himself back slightly so that he wasn't pushing him against the car.

Castiel glanced up at him, "Then it wouldn't be a reward." He said. "I would be abusing that power." He smiled.

"Hmm, guess so. Still, I think that's a pretty good power to abuse." Dean replied with a grin.

Castiel laughed, "We should go home. Sam and Bobby need to eat too." He said. He looked up at Dean with a smile. "Can't spend the rest of the day in this parking lot." He joked.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He replied, leaning down to kiss him briefly before pushing off of the car and standing straight again. "It's not as much fun though." He joked.

Castiel smiled, "Okay we should go." He said. "Or are we going to be doing something?" He chuckled. He lightly ushered Dean to his side.

Dean went along with him. "I'm game to do anything." He replied."Whatever you want."

Castiel smiled, "We should at least get home before we plan things." He said.

"Right. I'll drive." Dean offered, pulling the keys out of his pocket. "Plus Sam and Bobby are probably gnawing on plates by now." He joked.

Castiel laughed a little, "Then we can come save the day." He said. Dean unlocked the car and they both slid in and bucked in. Castiel looked at the CDs before putting one in and turning the music on low. "I'm probably going to learn all your music." He chuckled.

"Nothing wrong with that. Then you can join in on my awesome solos." He said with a grin as he pulled out if the parking lot.

Castiel chuckled, "Probably not. I would miss out on your singing." He said. He drummed his fingers on his thigh to the beat, listening.

"You really like listening to me sing, huh? Even though I'm probably off key more than I'm on?" Dean asked with a laugh.

Castiel hummed, "I love the way you sound. You have your own tone that is really soothing even if you think you're off key. You're not going to be the same as the singer. You're not them." He explained.

"Well I'm glad you like listening to me. It's a good way to pass the time." Dean replied, tapping his thumb on the steering when to the beat.

Castiel nodded, "Singing relieves stress and helps stop depression." He said. "Just a weird fact for you to know." He smiled.

"Huh. Then I can use that as an excuse to sing whenever I want." Dean replied, chuckling. He paused for a moment before joining in with the chorus of the song.

Castiel hummed softly, listening to Dean. They drove the rest of the way just listening to music. They parked in the road of the lot and walked inside. Sam and Bobby were just watching tv. Sam glanced back at them, "You guys are back. Didn't think Dean would be coming home tonight." He said.

Deans brow furrowed slightly, not sure how to respond to that. "Yeah, well, I am and we brought dinner. And pie." He added.

Bobby chuckled. "Of course you bought pie."

Castiel smiled, "It was a necessity." He said.

Sam chuckled, "Thanks for bringing us food." He said. "Are you staying Cas?" He asked.

Castiel pressed his lips together, "I can but maybe I should go home." He replied.

Dean glanced over at Cas, figuring he probably wouldn't want to stay two nights in a row at someone else's house. "Well, you're welcome to stay if you want but I get it if you can't." He replied.

Castiel bit his lip, he wanted to stay. It was better than going home to an empty house but he didn't want to intrude or overstay his welcome. "It's fine. Thank you for the offer." He said.

"Are you going to stay for a little bit or are you going home now?" Sam asked.

"Oh, would you like me to go now? That's fine." Cas responded.

"C'mon, Cas, stay a while." Dean replied, frowning. "We can do something while they eat or something." He offered.

Castiel played with his fingers a little, "If I can, okay." He replied.

Sam looked at him, "It's totally fine with us if you want to stay Cas. Don't need to be worried about it." He said.

Bobby nodded as well. "You're welcome to stay as long as you want."

Dean smiled, stepping towards Cas and nudging him. "See? It's cool. Don't worry about it."

Castiel glanced up at Dean, nodding a little. A small smile crossed his lips. "Okay." He replied.

Dean grinned, glad that he could stay. "Okay, well, enjoy the burgers and save me some pie." He said to Sam. "We're gonna go chill."

San rolled his eyes, "Yes we'll save some of your precious pie." He said with fake exasperated time. Castiel smiled a little and followed Dean upstairs.

Dean led the way to his room, figuring that was the only place they could really hang out anyway. "Home sweet home." He said, glancing over at Cas as he sat down on the edge of his bed.

Castiel followed Dean into his room and sat down next to him, "So you don't mind if I stay here longer? I have already spent the night here. Won't you get sick of seeing me?" He asked.

"Cas. I'm not gonna get tired of you. Gabriel and Anna might think I stole you and come kill me in my sleep, but other than that you can stay as long as you want." Dean replied. "I'm serious. If you manage to not get sick of me, I definitely won't be tired of you."

Castiel smiled, "They know where I am. They wouldn't do that and I know I won't get sick of you Dean." He looked over at him.

"Well, then it looks like there's nothing stopping you from staying as long as you want then." Dean replied, glancing over at him and returning the smile.

Castiel smiled a little before he felt his phone vibrate. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone. He opened a text that he got and his eyes widened. He felt his face pale. He shot up and quickly looked over at Dean, "I'm sorry I need to go home." He said quickly. He looked a bit scared but tried to keep it under control.

Dean frowned, noticing the obvious change, and stood beside him. "What's wrong? Who was the text from?" He asked, concerned.

Castiel gripped his phone, "It..it was from...Gabriel. One of my brother's is coming home and he's looking for me. I need to go Dean. I'm sorry." He said quickly before going toward the door and quickly walking to the door. Sam and Bobby looked at him questionably as Dean quickly followed after.

Dean followed Cas out to his car, confuse and worried. "Hey, Cas, what's going on? You look like you just got told you're going to die." He said, catching Cas's elbow.

Castiel winced a little, feeling a bit upset at himself that he can't keep his emotions off his face. He stopped a little once Dean caught his arm, but didn't exactly want to look back at Dean. "Raphael is coming home and he's looking for me and I just need to get home before he does. It's just a family thing." he replied.

Dean hesitated before nodding and letting Cas go. "Okay, well, text me when you get a chance, alright? Just to make sure everything's fine."

Castiel nodded, "Okay. I'm sorry." he said quietly before getting into his car and starting the engine. He did a quick glanced at Dean before he put the car in reverse and drove away.

Dean watched him go, still frowning with concern. He waited until his taillights disappeared before returning back to the house, hoping he'd be alright. "Something happen?" Bobby asked.

Dean shrugged. "I don't really know, something with his brother."

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, "He looked a little frisked than what you would consider a problem with your brother." he said. "Do you think he has problems with his sibling or siblings?"

"I think they some issues. I don't really know, I only met the nice ones apparently." Dean shrugged and sighed. "I dunno. He's gonna text me later I think."

Sam nodded, "Right. So what did you and Cas do today? You guys were gone for most of the day." he asked.

"Oh, Cas took me to his gym. He does gymnastics and stuff." Dean replied. "It was really cool- Cas was awesome. Then we got dinner, then came back here." He added.

Sam nodded, "Oh cool." he said. "You seem to have a good relationship with Cas. That's good." he replied. He watched Dean for a second, wondering if they really were just friends.

"Yeah, I think so." Dean replied, glancing up at Sam and frowning slightly. "What's that look for?" He asked suspiciously.

Sam shrugged, "What look?" he asked. "Better go check you from to see if Cas replied." he said smoothly.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I should." He agreed, jogging up the stairs to grab his phone from where he'd left it on the bed. Cas didn't reply yet, he got a text an hour later and he immediately grabbed his phone and checked it.

 **Cas:** _Sorry for leaving but I got home fine. I thought I should tell you._

 **Dean:** _Its cool. Everything okay with your brother?_

Dean replied, still worried about him. The look that Cas had when he left was still on his mind, that wasn't a look of joy of having you brother come home, but a look of fear.

 **Cas:** _Define okay._

Castiel responded. He was sitting on his bed with a new bruise on his upper arm of a gripped hand. he traced his fingers over the few imprints of fingertips. When he came home Raphael was already waiting for him, looking thoroughly upset with him. He spoke down to him and lectured him and all he could do was listen.

Dean frowned. 'That definitely didn't sound okay.'

 **Dean:** _I don't know. Safe, happy. Did you make it home before your brother?_

Castiel sighed, touching the bruise on his arm. He didn't want Dean to worry but he didn't want to lie. He left out what really happened.

 **Cas:** _No I didn't but it's fine._

 **Dean:** _Are you sure?_

Dean replied. He still had an uneasy feeling that something was wrong, but he didn't know what it could be.

Castiel held his phone for a little bit before he replied. He didn't want to make Dean worry, this wasn't his problem or anything.

 **Cas:** _Yes I'm sure. Thank you for your concern. I'll come get you tomorrow._

Dean looked at the message for a moment before sighing. Maybe he'd be able to talk to him more tomorrow.

 **Dean:** _Okay, night. See you tomorrow morning._

 **Cas:** _Goodnight Dean._

Castiel sighed. He set the phone aside, glad that Raphael didn't know about Dean yet. He went to the bathroom and pulled out a small bottle of vinegar, he dabbed it onto a cotton ball and into his arm and the bruise kind of faded. He wandered out to his bed side and got a heat/ice pack and put it onto his arm and wrapped it. He sighed softly. He glanced at his phone, staring at it for a moment but left it alone.

Dean stared at his phone for a few minutes, wishing he could say something else. He sighed after a moment, getting ready for bed slowly and keeping his phone nearby. He laid in bed for a while, worried, before finally falling asleep.


	4. Step one: Make a Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What does Raphael want? What does this mean for the couple? Dean will do everything he can to protect Castiel but will his efforts do anything?

The next morning, Castiel blinked awake and glanced at the time. 5:45 a.m. Sighing softly, he climbed out of bed and walked into the bathroom. He unwrapped his arm and saw the bruise was faded, barely noticeable. While massaging the the area around it, he went downstairs only to find it empty again. He went into the kitchen and started making something, deciding something simple today: bagel sandwiches with a side of fruit mixed, a squeeze of lemon over it to keep it fresh. He put them away in his bag and went upstairs to get dressed before he walked out to his car, leaving to go to Dean's.

Dean managed to get up at a decent time, mainly because the instant his eyes opened he was thinking of Cas. Something had definitely been up, and he hoped Cas would talk about it in person. After eating a quick bowl of cereal, changing, and grabbing his bag, he managed to make it outside on time for once.

Castiel had his arm in the sunlight for a few minutes so it could heal faster. He looked down at it and thought that it was good enough before he pulled up to the lot and saw Dean already waiting. He swallowed a little. Would Dean ask questions? What would he say? He felt his heart thrumming nervously and hastily pulled down his shirt sleeve.

Dean walked up to the car as Cas slowed to a stop, sliding in the passenger side. "Hey," he greeted. "So everything's okay?" He asked, trying not to seem too concerned.

Castiel nodded, "Good morning to you." he glanced at Dean. "Seat belt please." he asked.

Dean smiled slightly and pulled his seatbelt on. He knew that Cas was hiding something, but he couldn't understand what. "So your brother's home, huh?" He tried a different strategy.

Castiel had put the car in reverse before Dean asked his question. He gripped the steering wheel a little, "Yes. He is." Castiel replied. He didn't know what else to add to that to make it not seem as though he was upset about the topic. "I don't know how long he is staying or why he is back."

"Sounds like you aren't too thrilled that he's here." Dean commented, trying to gauge Cas's reaction. He knew something was wrong, and now it was just a matter of getting Cas to tell him what it was.

"I don't see him often so I don't have a connection with him. We don't have a very good relationship." Castiel replied. "I've told you. Most of them don't notice me until they need to."

"What do you mean by "need" you?" Dean asked, frowning. He definitely didn't like the sound of it, and the urge to protect Cas was coming back.

Castiel was quiet for a second, "Dean. Can we not talk about this? I don't want you to get in the mix of my family problems." He gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter. They were not close enough to the school to find a quick way out of the conversation.

Dean hesitated. He was still worried, but he realized if their places were reversed, he wouldn't want to talk about it either. Plus, it wasn't his place to meddle in Cas's family problems. "Yeah, okay." He replied after a moment. "But I'm here if you need anything."

Castiel nodded, "I'm sorry, Dean. My family is something you don't want to be tangled into." He explained a little, thinking that Dean at least deserved some sort of explanation.

"I get it, trust me. But you're family's kind of a package deal with you, right? And I've already chosen you. So if you want to talk about it, I don't mind getting tangled up in it." Dean said with a shrug.

Castiel didn't say anything until they had pulled up to the school and parked. "...My family name is kind of a big responsibility, in a way. I have to uphold a certain status. I...I am said to be the failure of our family." He swallowed, fingers clenched around the steering wheel. "I'm supposed to be part of the company, an heir in a way, but I don't want that..."

Dean frowned deeply. "You're considered the failure of the family?" He asked incredulously, wondering how perfect the family must be for Cas to be seen as a failure. "That's completely insane. And I'm sorry, Cas, I really am. I know there's probably not much I can do, but..." He trailed off, putting a hand hesitantly on his shoulder. "I'm here for you anyway."

Castiel smiled a little, "Thank you, Dean. I know there's not much you can do, but that helps." He said. "I just don't want you to get caught in this. There's so much more." He looked away. "You don't have to deal with this Dean. I'm giving you a chance to get your mind cleared. I'm not all that great."

"Except that you are that great. Cas, I don't care how screwed up your family is. I care about you, and I'll do whatever I can to help you." Dean replied steadfastly.

Castiel sighed softly, looking over at Dean. "...I would kiss you, but we're at school." He took Dean's hand and kissed his palm instead. "I'll just settle for the next best thing." He smiled a little. "Thank you, Dean... That means a lot." Just the thought of someone being there for him and caring for him made his heart swell a little.

Dean smiled in return, glad to have seemed to help a little. "That's almost as good. And I'll always have your back, so don't worry about it."

"We should go get school over with. We have homework to do later." He said. They had been sitting in the car for a bit, but they'd gotten there early enough that they didn't need to worry about being late.

"Oh boy, something to look forward to." Dean said sarcastically. "But yeah, let's get this over with." He sighed, giving Cas's hand a final squeeze before getting out of the car and shouldering his bag, pausing to wait for him.

Castiel slowly exhaled, grabbing his bag and shouldering it before walking next to Dean into school. The day was like any other, except that they had an extra assignment to do, an English one that was simple enough. No one commented on the bruise on Castiel in gym with Dean close by, though Dean noted it and wondered where he got it from. He was sure Cas didn't have it yesterday, but he didn't mention it as they changed back into their normal clothes. Castiel grabbed his bag from the lockers and looked at Dean, waiting for him to go with him to his car.

Dean finished changing a little after Cas, grabbing his backpack to follow him out. "So d'you wanna come to my house for homework?" He offered, figuring Cas wouldn't want to go to his own house.

Castiel nodded, "Okay." He responded as they began walking out of the school and to the car. "Should we go by the store again?" He asked.

"Yeah, if you don't mind cooking. We've definitely been eating a lot better since you came." Dean replied with a laugh. Castiel chuckled lightly, but stopped short once he saw someone waiting by his car for him.

Raphael looked over at the two. "Castiel." He said flatly.

Castiel gulped, "Raphael... what are you doing here?" He asked, voice wavering.

Raphael wiped his finger across Castiel's car, looking at it with disgust before dusting it off. "I heard that you have been gone every day since school has started. Has he been the reason?" He jabbed a thumb accusingly in Dean's direction.

Castiel looked at Dean before he stepped forward a little, shaking his head. "He has nothing to do with it; I've just been doing extracurricular activities." He replied, not wanting Dean to be involved.

Raphael shook his head, scoffing, "You know lying to me won't do you any good, Castiel. You are to go home. I'm sure your "friend" will understand." He ordered.

Dean's eyes narrowed, not liking Raphael's tone, as he stepped up beside Cas and squared his shoulders. He glanced over at Cas, then back to his brother. "Actually, Cas's giving me a ride home." He informed him stubbornly, giving him an overly-polite smile.

Raphael arched a brow, giving Dean a look over before back at Castiel. "You are letting someone use you? Again? He is only after the name that you are soiling." He said condescendingly.

"He's not. He has nothing to do with you Raphael. This is my choice." Castiel argued. "He has nothing to do with this."

Raphael scoffed, "You have not made the best choices. If he needs someone to drive him home, I'll send for someone. You have responsibilities Castiel. Stand to your status. You do not need to attend this school."

Castiel shook his head, "I already told you, I'm not going to be homeschooled any longer. I don't want to. I'm making my own choices."

"Is he the cause?" Raphael pointed again. "Is he? You do know what I do to nuisances." He said coldly.

Castiel's eyes widened, "No. No. He's not the reason. I swear." He said quickly. Castiel glanced over at Dean, handing him the keys. "Go home, Dean. You can drive." He said quietly.

Dean frowned, wanting to make a smart-ass response but thinking better of it when he saw the look in Cas's eyes. "Fine." He replied, slowly taking the keys. "I'll talk to you later?" He asked quietly, turning to face Cas. The last thing he wanted was to let Cas leave with this guy, but he didn't know what he could do. They were brothers, after all.

Castiel nodded a little, "I'll try. Goodbye Dean." He said softly before turning to look at Raphael, hesitantly following. Raphael looked over at Dean once more as Castiel walked over, who bowed his head slightly and slumped his shoulders. Cas glanced back at Dean once more before following Raphael into another car.

Dean watched them go, giving Cas a little wave when he glanced back. He didn't know what Raphael's problem was, but he definitely didn't like him or the way he treated Cas. He sighed as the car pulled away, hating how helpless he felt. He walked slowly to Cas's car and drove home, hoping he would text or call later so Dean could know he was okay.

Sam heard Dean come inside and came downstairs. "Oh, where's Cas?" He agreed, glancing to the window and seeing his car.

"With his brother." Dean replied with a frown. "I don't trust the guy." He admitted, glancing over at Sam.

"Why not? They're brothers." Sam asked. "Shouldn't you trust him?"

"He gives me a weird feeling." Dean replied. "Besides, Dad's our dad, doesn't mean we can always trust him." He added. "Plus Cas almost looked scared when he first saw him."

"You have a point. Maybe he was just in trouble, so he was scared he is going to be punished or something." Sam offered.

Dean shrugged. "I dunno, I guess I'll find out. I'm just worried about Cas. I've never seen him so shook up." He sighed.

"Was it that bad?" Sam arched a brow. "Did something happen to him that made you think that?" he asked. "If he seemed scared, maybe there's a reason why." he said.

Dean paused for a moment, thinking of something that Cas could have said or if something happened that made him think he would have that type of reaction to his brother. Dean froze, suddenly thinking of the mark on Cas's arm. "Son of a bitch." He cursed, wishing he'd realized it sooner. "Yeah. A bruise on his arm." He replied, hands clenching.

Sam's eyes widened slightly before he shook his head. "Are you serious? ...What can we do? He said he'll text you right? We'll just have to...have to wait." He said. "He came to school today with you, so that either means this has happened before or because he didn't want to stay him...God...staying in a home like that. I feel really sorry for him, but we can't do something about it."

Dean muttered, then sighed. "...Yeah, I guess you're right." He hated the thought of just sitting around when Cas could be hurt, but Sam was right. There wasn't much else he could do.

They stood in the kitchen for a few moments before Dean's phone started to ring. He quickly fished his phone out of his pocket, glancing at the caller ID. "Cas? You okay?" He said as he answered it.

"Dean." Castiel started quietly. "I'm sorry you had to see that. That hasn't ever happened before." There were sounds of him walking in the background, the light snaps of twigs and footsteps. "I don't...I'm sorry that I can't come over and help you, but I have to stay here." he explained.

"No, don't even worry about it. I just wanted to make sure you're okay." Dean replied, walking up to his room to talk privately.

"I'm fine, Dean. I just...I'm worried about you. Raphael knows who you are and what you look like. I don't want something to happen to you." Castiel told him. "Maybe we...maybe we shouldn't do this, Dean. Your safety and well-being is more important than our relationship."

Dean felt a jolt of fear run through him at the words, at the thought of Cas leaving him. "It's going to be okay, I can take care of myself. C'mon, Cas, that seems a little extreme." He replied hastily. He didn't know why Cas jumped straight to sow,thing so severe, and it made him nervous.

Castiel found the little area he used to go to when he felt like hiding, and he sat down on the dock over the water. "You don't know Raphael, Dean. It's not extreme if you know what I know. I wouldn't have suggested it if I have thought otherwise. I'm trying to keep him away from you. Anyone of my family. I'm...I'm not worth this, Dean. I'm scared and worried about what's going to happen to you." He continued softly.

Dean sat down on his bed, clutching the phone. "You are worth it to me. I don't care how insane your family is. C'mon, don't do this Cas." He pleaded, only able to hear that Cas wanted to break things off.

Castiel stared up at the sky, sighing softly. "Dean. Why do you think I don't have friends? Bullying played a factor into this, but everyone always kept their distance because of what Raphael would do to kids who got too close to me. He thought that they would ruin my schooling and concentration." he sighed again. "I've been...I've been trained since I was a child to be part of our company. They expect me to be part of it and will do any means to get me back on it. You've only met Raphael, there's more..." he said softly. "…Dean, I want you here, I do, but this would bring in your family too. Not just you."

"What does he do? Bobby and Sam are tough, they can take care of themselves too. And what about you? You don't want any of this, I can't just let him force you into a life you don't even want. You deserve more than that." Dean protested. He didn't care about how bad Cas's family was, he couldn't bear the thought of not having him around. His life was just taking a turn for the better, and he couldn't lose it again.

"No, you're right... I don't want any of this. That's why I want to finish school and try to put myself through college to make my own choices, but they will do everything they can to stop me." Castiel replied. "Raphael has destroyed families. He can shut down businesses, check into others' past, bring up anything he can get his hands on." he brought his legs up to his chest. "Dean. I'm worried about you." he repeated.

"Bobby runs his own business, and we don't have any dirt to dig up that we don't already know about. And I'm worried about you too, you have to live with him." Dean replied, leaning forward suddenly. "Cas, I don't want to lose you." He said softly, hating to admit it.

Castiel wrapped an arm around his legs, resting on them. "I don't want to lose you either." he replied. "I wish you were here..." he mumbled into his legs. "I don't want to be the cause of breaking your family. I have lived with Raphael before. I've gotten used to him. It's fine." he said.

Dean sighed. "I wish I was there too. And you being used to it makes me like it even less." He said. He was frustrated, wishing he could just fix it as easily as he could a car. "What can I do? There has to be something."

Castiel clutched his phone a little, "There's not much you can do. Us doing things together is making Raphael mad regardless. I might not be able to drive you if this continues." He sighed. "I'm sorry Dean. I shouldn't get you involved."

"So we're only going to see each other at school?" Dean asked, already feeling the loss like a shock to his system. "But I still have your car." He realized.

"Raphael told me he was going to pick me up and drop me off until I decide to listen to orders.." Castiel replied sadly. "You can use the car Dean. I don't mind." he added. Castiel felt a sting of loneliness again. He wanted to spend time with Dean, but he couldn't.

Dean sighed heavily. He didn't want Cas's car, he wanted Cas. "Alright, thanks." He replied glumly. "But we're going to figure this out, okay? I'm not giving up." He said determinedly.

"Okay..." Castiel answered softly. He had faith in Dean, but he doubted himself. He held onto the phone, not sure what to say to Dean but reluctant to hang up.

"Well, at least now I'll actually look forward to school a little." Dean joked half-heartedly. He leaned back on his bed, fiddling with a pillow. He'd figure out a way to fix this. He had to. He couldn't lose Cas, no matter what.

Castiel huffed a small laugh. "You still need to do your homework." he said. Castiel was staring off into the water, "Dean. What made you try to talk to me on the first day?" he asked.

Dean paused for a moment, thinking back. "You looked so beaten down and miserable, like you only ever expected the worst to happen. I dunno, I guess I knew the feeling. I wanted to make you smile." He replied.

Castiel smiled a little before he thought about it, "You have expected only the worst to happen?" he asked. "Why?"

Dean hesitated before deciding that Cas had shared some of his family issues, so he might as well share his. "Well, back when we lived with my dad, things weren't so great. He'd go missing for days at a time, and I'd be left taking care of Sam without knowing when he'd come back. And when he was back, he'd be drunk as much as he'd be sober. It sucked, basically." He said. "Things got a lot better when we moved in with Bobby, though." He added. He realized he'd never actually told anyone about his dad- he barely talked to Sam about it. He'd always tried to ignore it, pretend it's never happened, because that was infinitely easier.

Castiel listened thoughtfully. "You've had a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, having to take care of yourself and your brother. You're a good person, Dean, being able to raise him as well as yourself. You must be proud that Sam is trying to get into Stanford. You got him to that point."

Castiel connected the dots of what he knew of Dean. They had bad diets because Dean didn't know how to cook, so they only got by on what they could. Dean was living with Bobby because they needed a home, and also why his parents weren't around. He wondered a little about Dean's mom, but Cas decided it must be a sensitive topic for Dean to have never even mentioned her.

Dean smiled slightly. "Thanks Cas. That really means a lot. And I am proud of him, definitely. But you're standing up against your whole family- that takes guts." He replied.

Castiel hummed softly, "I don't even know what gave me the courage to do so but I did. My resolution wavers at times, but I still try." He stopped for a second before he spoke again, "If I didn't try, I would have never met you. I guess the suffering I've had is worth it." He said quietly.

"Yeah, what we went through ended up bringing us together." Dean thought aloud. "That sounds like a chick flick line, but I guess it's actually true." He paused, closing his eyes. "Which is why I don't care what anyone does, I don't want to lose you, Cas. I can't." He said the last two words as merely a whisper, a confession and plea mixed together in one soft breath.

Castiel's breath hitched for a second at how emotionally laced Dean's words were. He pulled himself closer, feeling the want of having Dean there. "You won't... I'll fight too. You won't lose me." He said. "I really wish you were here for me to hug you." He added.

"I wish I was too." Dean replied with a smile. "Where are you anyway? It doesn't sound like you're inside." He asked, wanting to get away from the emotions.

"You are right, I am outside." Castiel answered. "I'm sitting near a dock of water. The place I come when I want to be alone." he explained. "I'll show you if I can, one day."

"Yeah, I'd want to see it." Dean replied. He didn't want to stop talking to Cas, especially since he wasn't going to actually see him anymore except at school. He sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration.  'Just when things had started going right for a change.'

Castiel sighed softly before he heard his name being called. He tensed up and clutched his phone. "I have to go Dean." He said sadly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, okay. See you." Dean replied with a sigh. He held the phone until the line went dead, tossing it on the bed beside him. He ran his hand over his face, lying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling. He hated this already.

Castiel sighed, holding his phone until he eventually got up and started heading back to the house. Tomorrow couldn't come any slower.

The next morning, Castiel woke up early to make them lunch, getting ready a bit faster than normal so he could leave. He alerted the driver he wanted to be driven, and soon he was heading to school.

Dean drove to school in a foul mood, the car's emptiness sitting like a weight beside him. He sighed as he pulled in, realizing he had no way to tell if Cas was already there, so he simply shouldered his bag, walking slowly to first period.

Castiel made it to school early so he wouldn't have to deal with the crowded hallways or the whispers and rumors alone. He sat in the classroom drumming his fingers on the desk, waiting for Dean to arrive. He knew that Dean wouldn't come that early, so he put his head down on his arms on his desk and dazed off.

Dean strode into class, seeing Cas immediately and smiling slightly. "Hey." He said, sliding in beside him. "You okay?"

Castiel made a small hum sound to acknowledge Dean. He smiled softly, "I'm okay. Good morning, Dean." he said. He was still resting on his desk, but had his head turned toward Dean.

"Yeah, same." Dean replied. "I actually did some of the homework, though."

Castiel sat up a little, "You did? I'm proud of you." he smiled. He had already finished his homework, seeing as what he did yesterday was mostly studying. "Did you need any help to finish it?" he asked.

"Yeah, probably. I didn't actually finish." Dean answered. He had tried, but eventually his mind kept wandering to the point where he'd worked on the impala for a few hours just to keep himself busy.

Things were a little awkward between them, but at some point during class Castiel dropped his eraser and the both of them stooped down to get it, bumping heads. They both looked at each other, and Dean made a small comment that made Castiel chuckle softly. That broke the small tension broke down, and the day continued normally until eventually it was lunch time. Castiel walked out into the courtyard, waiting for Dean by the tree.

Dean walked out into the courtyard, smiling when he saw Cas. He was glad their awkwardness had pretty much gone away, but it just wasn't quite the same. Still, he made an effort to act normally. "So, what'd the chef make today?" He asked as he sat down.

Castiel smiled at Dean, "I made shrimp stir fry. I also brought apples for us. The ones I made you before." he said. He scooted closer to Dean, wanting to be close.

Dean leaned on the tree, hesitating only slightly before sitting so that their sides were against each other. "Sounds awesome, as always." He replied. He knew this wasn't the best place to be affectionate, but after yesterday, he didn't give a damn.

Castiel didn't make a comment on how close they were, just giving Dean his lunch and a fork. He leaned against Dean a little, opening his own lunch.

Dean opened up his lunch, eagerly taking a bite. He hummed in appreciation, taking another large forkful. "This is awesome." He commented between bites, enjoying their casual closeness. "Y'know, we could always skip a class. Art or gym or something- have a chance to hang out." He offered hopefully.

Castiel chuckled softly, "I actually thought of the same thing just now. I thought about us sitting outside, not really doing anything. Just enjoying each other's company." he said. He was slowly eating his food, not really bothered about classes for once. He didn't feel the worry about getting in trouble for missing any, because when he was with Dean he was more confident about going against orders.

"Sounds good to me." Dean replied, glad that Cas was agreeing. He'd much rather spend some extra time with him than go to health, or any other class for that matter.

Soon they both were done eating their lunches, and Castiel took back both containers before taking out a smaller one. He pulled out an apple slice and offered it to Dean. "Apple?" he asked.

"Thanks." Dean replied as he took the slice, biting into it slowly. Before Cas had given them to him on his first day, Dean couldn't quite remember the last time he'd had good apples. He ate it more slowly than normal, not starving after the shrimp and in no rush for class.

Castiel took an apple slice of his own, biting into it as he looked out into the courtyard. He turned back to Dean, "It seems like every day feels like a larger time span than it is. Like yesterday felt like a week...or how the day after I met you things have changed so rapidly, it felt like we've known each other longer."

Dean nodded. "It does. It feels like we've spent everyday together for the past year." He replied, wondering when they would get to spend that time together again. "So you don't know how long Raphael's staying, but once he leaves, will we go back to how we were?" Dean asked. He didn't want to say back to normal, because in reality 'normal' was how their lives were without each other, and he didn't want to go back to that.

"It's possible." Castiel replied. "I'm not really sure why he has returned or why he is staying. He would normally have orders to come home, but I would have known." he explained. "I don't want him to stay. I want to be able to see you too. I don't want to sit at home in a house far too large for one person anymore." he said softly.

Dean sighed. "I hope he leaves soon. I already hate only seeing you at school. I hate having to hide." He sighed in frustration, running a hand over his face. "I can't wait til we can just get away from all of this."

"Me too." Castiel replied. He thought about it for a second, "Maybe we should go find a place to hide where we don't have to be secretive; We have time right now, and then we won't have to worry about it later." he offered.

"What kind of place?" Dean asked, interest perking. "That definitely sounds awesome to me." He added.

Castiel hummed, looking up. "Maybe the roof? If it's not locked. We should probably stay on school grounds, not to get too far if we forget about the time." he said. He put the containers away and got up, picking up his bag and singing it over his shoulders. He turned back to Dean and offered a hand up. "We'll go find someplace else if the roof is not open. We have some time." he smiled.

Dean took his hand and pulled himself up, shrugging on his backpack with a grin. "Sounds good to me. Let's go check the roof." He said as he walked back towards the building, feeling excitedly hopeful. If the roof was unlocked, it would be perfect- they'd be alone and hidden without actually hiding.

They walked inside the building, walking up the flight of stairs until they reached the top. Castiel looked at Dean before he tried the knob, and it was unlocked. Castiel smiled a little before he opened the door, revealing a view of the whole school.

"Whoa, got company up here." A voice came from above them, belonging to a girl with red hair sitting above them.

Dean glanced up quickly as the girl spoke up, not having seen her. 'So much for being alone.'

From the entrance of the door there was a slightly higher place on the roof with a ladder on it. She had big headphones over her ears with one pushed off the side. She pulled a sucker out of her mouth, "Oh hey. I know you two. Dean Winchester and Castiel Milton, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, that's us. Should I be flattered that you know us? 'Cause I don't know you." Dean replied with a half smile. How did everyone know who they were? He'd been going to the school for three years and barely knew the names of anyone. Not that he paid much attention, but still.

"Charlie Bradbury, at your service." Charlie smiled, she was laying on her stomach with her head resting on her hands. "I am linked to the school. I know everything there is to know about everything, and I have complete access to it." She grinned cockily.

Castiel looked up at her amazed, "Are you related to someone in the higher ups in school?" he asked.

Charlie laughed, "Like I would be related to these dirtbags. Expert hacker in the making. Please, no autographs." she grinned. "Rumors I've heard, you guys are at the top of the list. Castiel here being the new bait and Dean being the knight in shining armor. Got a list of different rumors for you both." she said. "You guys are slowly rising to the most hated and most wanted list between guys and girls. It's interesting."

Dean chuckled. "Knight in shining armor? Yeah, right. So Cas's only been here a week and we already made the most hated. That's gotta be some kind of record." He replied with a grin, already liking Charlie. Anyone who also thought the school higher ups were dirtbags couldn't be too bad, after all.

"Most hated AND most wanted. I hear you guys are eye candy for the ladies and the dudes. Flattering, I should say, but I can see what all the hub-bub is all about. You guys are pretty easy on the eyes." Charlie looked them over. She saw a fleeting look on Dean's face as it changed a little. She laughed, "Whoa, easy there, Tiger. Not trying to steal your mate or anything. Just appreciating. Besides, you guys aren't my type." she explained.

Castiel tipped his head to the side a little, "Type? Are we a category?" he asked.

Charlie arched a brow at him, "Well that's oddly cute. No, I mean you guys aren't my type. I wouldn't be interested in you guys." she said.

"Oh. Then what is your type?" Castiel asked.

"I'm a lesbian." Charlie said flatly.

Dean arched a brow, slightly surprised at how uninhibited she was in saying it, especially in the school they were in. Not that they were ones to judge, of course. "Then yeah, guess I don't have to worry about you stealing my "mate."" He replied with a chuckle. "So we're hated and wanted. Nice."

Charlie smiled, "So did you guys come up here to get away from everyone? Seems fitting to do since you guys are an item, I'm guessing. Wanting away from prying eyes." she said. "Well, I better get out of your hair then. Don't want to stick around the love fest." she added as she got down. "I like you guys, doing what you want despite others. I'm a supporter of you two. So do whatever you guys want, and forget everyone else. They don't matter." she grinned. She pulled open the door and looked back at them.

Castiel looked at her, "Where are you going, then?" he asked.

Charlie hummed, "Nurses office, she's right up my alley. Later bitches." She waved as she closed the door behind her. Castiel was surprised at how much energy she had and how quickly she came and went. He looked back at Dean for his reaction.

'Right up her alley? Alright then.' Dean glanced over at Cas and grinned. "I like her. So now it looks like we've got a hacker on our side, at least. That makes, what? You, me, her, and Kevin against the rest of the school?" He chuckled. "Those are my kind of odds."

"Sam counts too, but we'll keep him hidden." Castiel smiled a little. "I like her too. She was a fresh boost of energy." he said. He looked at Dean softly, before pulling him into a hug. "...I wanted to do this yesterday, but I'll still accept it." he murmured into his shoulder.

He smiled softly as Cas hugged him, and he wrapped his arms around him as well. "Yeah, me too. Better than nothing." Dean said, holding him tightly. Cas had definitely sounded like he'd needed a hug yesterday, and Dean knew he probably had too.

Castiel didn't say anything for a moment, just buried his face into Dean and held him just as tightly. "I did want you there yesterday... I felt lonely..." He said quietly. He never used to think about it, but now that he knew what it was like to have someone around, it was hard to go back to how he used to be.

"I'm sorry." Dean replied, hating that he couldn't have been there. He didn't want Cas to feel alone or to hurt, not now or ever. "I'm here now."

Castiel nodded, holding Dean for a few moments more before he pulled away a little. He still kept really close to Dean but away enough to look at him properly. "Thank you Dean. You being here means a lot." he told him.

"I'm glad I'm here, Cas." Dean replied, resting his forehead against his. "I wish I could've been there yesterday, but this works too." He said with a slight smile, trying to disguise how helpless he felt in the entire situation.

The sound of the bell ringing could be heard, signaling that lunch was over. They still had three periods left. Castiel sighed softly, "The more I think about our lives the more I find it to be like a soap opera." he chuckled a little. "Not being able to see each other, and here we are. On a roof in a comforting embrace."

"Just like an episode of Dr. Sexy." Dean replied with a chuckle. "It sucks a lot more than it looks like on tv." He added. "But I'll be as soap opera-y as I have to."

"I do not believe that is a word." Castiel looked up at him. "Then again, you just confirmed to me that you watch Dr. Sexy." he laughed. "Must be a guilty pleasure." he teased.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Fine, alright, I watch an occasional episode. Sometimes. It's a good show, okay?" He replied, breaking into a grin despite himself.

Castiel laughed, "Okay. I'll take your word for it." he said. They were still standing in an embrace while they talked. Castiel hummed softly, "So what should we do to pass the time? We have three periods left." he asked.

Dean arched a brow and grinned, pulling him closer. "Mm, I could think of a few ideas." He murmured, his hand slipped around the back of his neck.

Castiel knew the gesture, having Dean's hand on the back of his neck. He looked up at Dean, leaning a little closer. "Are you trying to kiss me Dean? Is this what you had in mind?" He asked quietly as his eyes flickered to Dean's lips then to his eyes.

"Well, it's an option." Dean murmured with a smirk, eyes roaming slowly down his features before suddenly closing the short distance between them to press his lips against Cas's.

Castiel's arms wrapped around Dean's neck, leaning up into him. He couldn't exactly figure out where to put his arms, so he thought this would be the best. One of his hands sneaked into Dean's hair, lightly carding through it.

Dean wrapped his arm around Cas's waist, their time apart only heightening his desire to be as close to him as possible. Despite the duration of their separation only lasting part of a day, the warmth and safety of Cas's embrace felt like something between a haven from the world and an addiction he would never want to live without.

Castiel pressed against Dean, wanting to deepen the kiss. He swiped his tongue on Dean's lower lip, lightly biting it. He felt safe being this close to Dean. To be complete encased by him, like a protective shield.

Dean's tongue trailed after Cas's, lining across his lower teeth. He hummed slightly as his mouth moved eagerly against his, bottom teeth scraping lightly against Cas's lower lip.

Castiel lightly gasped, enjoying the kiss immensely. He tangled his fingers in Dean's short hair before going back to stroking it. His other arm found way to his shoulder and bicep, holding onto it as they kissed.

Dean pressed forward, encouraged by Cas's gasp and the feel of his hands in his hair. The hand that was originally behind Cas's neck now trailed downwards across his back, pausing at the top of his thigh.

Castiel arched into Dean, feeling the slow trail of fingers down his back. He made a small sound once Dean's hand found a spot to rest upon. He bundled Dean's shirt a little under his hand as he kept up with him.

Dean's hand tightened, hitching Cas's leg up slightly. His other arm stayed firmly around his back so that he wouldn't fall, and he broke apart from the kiss briefly. "God I love the noises you make." He growled breathily before reinitiating their kiss with renewed vigor.

Castiel moaned softly into Dean, feeling a deep arousal churning. His breathing had picked up since Dean started kissing him, heart fluttering excitedly. He tried to keep up with Dean, but he still lacked experience and made small whimpers and sounds as Dean kissed him. He clutched Dean's shirt, keeping his posture up as his knees felt a little weak.

Dean's arm tightened around him, pressing into Cas as every sound sent a shiver up his spine. He couldn't have cared less about Cas's inexperience, just hearing him enjoy the kiss was more than enough to prompt Dean closer, practically holding Cas up. Castiel eventually had to break apart for air, kissing Dean nearly breathlessly. He had a rose colored blush across his cheeks as he panted. He looked up at Dean with a complete dazed look as Dean's eyes reflected want.

"Dean..." Castiel breathed out. He swallowed, still wanting to be this close. He brushed his head by Dean's neck, resting there as he placed a soft kiss at the base of his neck.

"Breathless is a good look for you." Dean murmured, head tipping to the side slightly to allow Cas better access to his neck. He rolled his head forward to skim his nose across Cas's jawline, more than happy to keep their close contact.

Castiel breathed in Dean's scent as he rested there. He lightly feathered kisses on Dean's neck, showing bits of affection as he nuzzled there. Dean breathed deeply, letting himself enjoy Cas's soft kisses for a few moments. He could hardly believe he'd done something to warrant such affection from someone like him, and the thought made him turn his head slightly to kiss the skin connecting his jaw and neck, running his tongue against it lightly.

"Ah…" Castiel shivered a little, having a new sensation run down him.

Castiel stopped kissing Dean's neck for a moment before he tried to do the same thing. He tentatively licked Dean's neck after he kissed a spot. Dean hummed his approval into Cas's skin. He could tell he was slightly hesitant, but it still felt good.

Castiel sighed softly against Dean, now just burying his head into the crook of Dean's neck. "I didn't even get to hear the other options before we chose this one." He laughed a little, now breathing evenly.

"Well, there was this one." Dean replied, kissing his hair softly. "And I never really thought of any others." He said with a grin. "But this seemed like a pretty good option, and you didn't seem to mind." He teased.

Castiel smiled, "What if I didn't want this option? Then what would we do?" He asked. He relaxed into Dean liking the attention and affection he was receiving. The soft kiss to his head made his heart melt a little.

"Hmmm..." Dean hummed into his hair, thinking. "Well, we could sit down. Take a nap. Talk. Drop things off the roof. Get on a Greyhound and run off somewhere." He offered, chuckling slightly though he wasn't entirely joking.

Castiel smiled at the thought. "Maybe we could sit down and take a nap. We'll talk until we get tired. We still have time." He offered.

"No running off to another city?" He joked. "Nah, that's okay, a nap sounds good to me." Dean replied, loosening his hold on Cas to allow him to step away.

Castiel laughed, taking Dean's hand. "Not today. You can be the knight in shining armor another day." he teased. He walked them over next to the higher area Charlie was resting on, but away from the door and sight. He settled down against the ground, taking Dean with him as he leaned against the wall.

Dean chuckled and followed him willingly. He knew he'd never be able to leave Sam and Bobby, but it was still nice to think about escaping once in a while. "Good, 'cause I don't think I'd be a great knight today." He replied with a laugh, settling down beside him.

"Why not?" Castiel asked, entwining their fingers together. He leaned against Dean, feeling completely at ease. That was something he hadn't felt in a while, so it was really nice. For the time being, it was just them sitting together.

"Well, for one, you don't need saving. Not now anyway." Dean answered with a grin. "You're the one who found this little slice of privacy. Good idea, by the way." He added, resting against him. For once he didn't have to worry about someone spotting them or walking in on them. They could just sit with each other and enjoy it, worry free.

Castiel laughed a little, "So I'm a damsel in distress that doesn't need saving. I apparently can hold my own but I want my own knight. Interesting." he said. "Well at least we don't have to worry about anything for now. It's just us, unless Charlie wishes to return." he added. He leaned his head onto Dean's shoulder, exhaling slowly.

"So you're a damsel that's not in distress and I'm the knight you want to keep around." Dean replied with a laugh, leaning his head on top of Cas's. "And I don't think Charlie'll come back anytime soon."

Castiel hummed softly, "Why wouldn't she come back? Is it because we're still up here?" he asked. They were just sitting next to each other, resting as they held hands, completely wrapped in their own little world.

"Well there only so many things two people can do alone on a roof and I'm pretty sure she's gonna avoid us so she won't see any of them." Dean replied with a chuckle.

"What do you mean?" Castiel asked. "I would see why her seeing us kiss would be kind of uncomfortable, but we could still talk to her like we are now." he said.

"Yeah, that'd be fine. I guess it just depends on whether she decides to come back." Dean replied with a shrug. "She does seem to know a lot about everything."

Castiel smiled, "She had said she was a hacker. I think it's their job to know." He said. "But then again, I don't think I would want her to come back. I wouldn't get the relaxed feeling I get from being just with you."

Dean smiled slightly, wrapping his arm around Cas. "Yeah, I'm liking this alone time. It's nice to not have to worry about anyone seeing us or anything. We can just be us."

Castiel chuckled, "I think we're also kind of relieved that we can kiss without the thought of someone interrupting or seeing." He said. He looked out over the roof, setting how big the school was and it was strange to think that even with this many people, he met Dean. He scooted closer to Dean, keeping his head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, that's definitely a nice touch." Dean replied with a smile. He enjoyed Cas's warmth beside him, the steady pressure of him against his side. It was insane how he could go for so long and never met anyone he was this at ease with- until Cas.

Castiel smiled a little, closing his eyes. He could hear Dean breathing as well as feel the comforting warmth around him. There was a light breeze that blew their hair but it was nice outside. He felt comfortable, anywhere with Dean was comfortable. He liked the idea of a nap, they still had a lot time . "I think I would like that nap." He said softly.

"Way ahead of you." Dean murmured with a smile, shifting more over against Cas. His eyes were half open and he glanced down at Cas, happy to just see him look so content and at ease.

They shortly fell asleep on the roof, pressed side to side with Dean's arm around Castiel and their heads leaning against each other. They're hands resting in between them still entwined. Not a care in the world, just them. Time seemed to pass by.

Castiel eventually blinked awake, gently sitting up. He looked over at Dean who was still sleeping. He smiled a little before he leaned over and kissed Dean's temple. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone and checked the time. 15 minutes til school was over. He gently nudged Dean. "Dean. Dean wake up." He said softly. "We need to go back down." He said.

"Mmfm?" Dean mumbled, blinking awake. It took him a moment to realize that them being on the roof wasn't a dream. "Do we have to? Let's just stay up here forever." He replied, yawning.

Castiel sighed softly, "I would love to but we're going to get in trouble. Raphael is coming and he's very punctual. Also we might get locked up here if we don't go." He explained.

"Yeah, I know." Dean sighed, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. "That was an awesome nap though." He said, pushing himself up slowly to stand. He stretched his arms over his head before turning, offering his hand to help Cas up.

Castiel took Dean's hand, standing up himself. He stretched out his arms, hearing small pops as his back and shoulders clicked. "Yes it was. We should do this again sometime." He smiled. He reached down and grabbed Dean's bag and his, giving one to Dean.

"Definitely." Dean agreed, shouldering the bag. It had been a great nap, but he partially regretted spending the only time he had alone with Cas sleeping.

Castiel looked at Dean, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. He smiled a little at Dean before he started walking to the door. "We shouldn't be late." He said, looking back at Dean.

"Okay." Dean replied with a slight smile. He followed behind Cas. "And we can always come back sometime." He said, more to remind himself than Cas.

They walked down the stairs, making sure to avoid patrol teachers as they waited for the bell to ring. They had a few minutes left. Castiel looked at Dean, catching his pinky as they waited off the side of the entrance. "Thank you for today Dean. I feel a lot better." He smiled.

"No need to thank me, I had a great time too. Besides, you're the one who thought of the roof." Dean replied with a smile. He hated that they had to part ways now and hated even more that Cas would probably go home to an abusive brother who made him miserable, but he tried to just savor the last few minutes they had.

They spent the last few minutes in a comfortable silence, holding fingers. The bell soon rang and kids started coming out of their classes. Castiel let go of Dean's pinky, looking up at him. "See you tomorrow Dean." He said with a sad smile.

"See you, Cas." Dean replied with a slight smile, suppressing a sigh. He wished he'd thought to give him one last kiss on the roof, but it was too late. "Let me know if you need anything, okay?" He added, giving him a final half wave before turning to walk to the car.

Castiel waved a little, watching him go before going out and seeing the car pull up and him getting in. He stared out the window, seeing Dean walking to the car as he slowly pulled away. He sighed sadly, thinking that after a few days it's going to be the weekend and he wouldn't be able to see Dean.

Dean drove home slowly, in no rush to do homework or even work on the impala, which were the only things really waiting for him at home. He sighed, wondering if Raphael would keep Cas captive all weekend, and, more importantly, if Cas would actually be safe with him for such a long period of time.

By the time Dean came home and came in, he heard two people talking. One he knew distinctly as Sam's but the other sounded familiar. Sam looked up as Dean came in, "Oh Dean you're home. Gabriel came by to say hi." He said.

Gabriel did a two finger salute, "Yo Dean-O. See that you're lacking a Cassie." He said.

Dean frowned slightly, wondering how Gabriel knew where he lived and why he was there. "Hey. Your brother has some driver bringing Cas to and from school. I'm a bad influence, apparently." He said with a shrug, dumping his bag on the table and walking over to them.

Gabriel looked at him. "Not exactly a bad influence, more like a nuisance. The dirt on his shoes, the pesky fly that won't go away, the-"

Sam put a hand up, "I think he gets it." He said.

Gabriel sighed, "Raphael is...something. To be honest, I'm actually here to access you guys, well more like threaten, but I'm not. See I kind of want to help Cassie and you guys seem like...decent guys." He said.

Sam scoffed, "Thanks."

Dean rolled his eyes at being deemed a nuisance and frowned when Gabriel mentioned threatening.

Gabriel laughed a little, "And I know Deanie here wants his Cassie, so let's make a rescue plan." He grinned.

Dean perked up, however, when he mentioned a rescue plan. "You want to rescue Cas from Raphael?" He asked, brow arched. He was slightly suspicious of Gabriel, but Cas had said he was one of the good siblings- and he did seem to want the best for Cas. For now, Dean decided to trust him. "I'm all for that, but how?"

"Hmm, dunno. That's why we make a plan." Gabriel shrugged leaning back in his chair.

"Well, what would make Raphael leave?" Sam asked.

Gabriel hummed, "Orders from top dog. He is trying to get Castiel into the business again because he's a huge asset. Raphael is a bag of dicks, must run in the family. He's trying to do whatever it takes to get Castiel to stop whatever to do what he's told again and if using force is how he's going to get there. He'll do it." He explained.

Dean's hand clenched slightly at the thought of hurting Cas in any way. "Then we've gotta stop him." He said with resolute determination. "I take it there's not a way to convince the top dogs to bring Raphael in and they're gonna want Cas no matter what." He thought out loud, frowning. "So what're we supposed to do, kidnap him?" He turned to Gabriel, his quick flurry of hope already dying down at the seeming impossible barriers between them and saving Cas.

Gabriel touched his chin thoughtfully, thinking of something that could possibly be of help to them. He snapped his fingers, "That's right! Uh what's her name, what's her name.." He racked his mind for a name. "Bradbury! That's it! She goes to your school, if we can get her to help that would be great and uh... who's that AP kid. Uh... was it Kevin? Kevin I think, weird last name like Train or something...?" He said, glancing between the two brothers. Sam shrugged.

"Charlie and Kevin?" Dean asked incredulously. "I know them. They're pretty much the only people at school who don't hate us. I bet they'd be willing to help." He replied, optimism returning. "Yeah, yeah, they'd definitely help. So we've got a hacker and a textbook kid on our side too."

Gabriel arched a brow, surprised that Dean would know them. He smiled anyway, "She can help with writing through the lines and hacking into the systems. I know which ones and Kevin can actually make a legit order and we'll have a solid "order". This would call Raphael back and everyone lives happily ever after. No need to thank me. Surprising that you got two of the biggest assists from your school to help you. Someone must like you." He said.

"Seriously, I can't believe how awesome this turned out. I can talk to them tomorrow, we could all meet up here to make this happen." Dean replied. Honestly, he wanted to do it as soon as possible to get the jerk away from Cas, but he didn't actually have any way of talking to either of them. "And then hopefully Raphael'll be gone by the weekend." He grinned.

Gabriel grinned too, "Great. Sounds like a good plan. Sam here will work through the kinks. I'm going to have to report back and say you cooperated. You don't even want to know what my real orders were." He sighed. Gabriel looked at Dean, "So have you shacked up with Cassie yet?" He asked forwardly.

Sam shot up, "I knew it! Bobby owes me money!" He grinned.

"What, no!" Dean protested vehemently, flushing a shade of red, much to his chagrin. "You bet money on this?" He asked, turning to Sam in an attempt to focus on something other than the fact that Cas had been right, they had definitely known for a while.

Sam shrugged, "Yeah, it was obvious and I get free money. So no shame in my game." he grinned. "Plus you know, you guys looking all awkward in a tree makes people suspicious." he explained.

Gabriel eyebrows raised, "You kissed Cassie in a tree?" He said amused. "Dean and Castiel sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" he said in a singsong voice.

Sam laughed, "So you might have done something." he said, pointing to Dean. "Because he clearly knows something that I don't but I think we're all on the same page." he said.

Gabriel laughed, "I like you. We should be friends." He said to Sam.

Sam smiled, "I don't see why not. We get to bully my brother." he said.

"And I get to bully mine." Gabriel grinned. "This is going to be fun."

Dean groaned, running a hand over his face. "Great, just what I wanted." He grumbled sarcastically. "Glad you're bonding and we're all on the same page and all, but don't you guys have stuff to do? You know, something other than talking about Cas and me?" He asked pointedly, trying to hide some of his embarrassment. 'Alright, yeah, admittedly we could've been a little less obvious about it, but still.'

Gabriel tapped his chin thoughtfully, "I don't know. That's what we have in common the most. Brothers who are dating with each other and we want to embarrass them as much as possible." he said.

Sam nodded, "What else would I say to him? He's older than us. I don't have anything else to connect to him with." he added.

Dean's phone started to ring and Dean let out a breath of relief, knowing that it was probably Cas calling him. He had taken out his phone and Gabriel took it from him, answering it. "Hello~ Castiel~" he dragged out in a singsong voice.

"...Gabriel?" the line spoke. "What are you doing with Dean's phone?" he asked.

"Oh you know, just...dropping by to say hello." Gabriel replied as he dodged Dean around the living room. He stuck his tongue out at Dean as he hopped around. Sam was laughing silently at the two.

"Did you really come to say hello?" Castiel asked.

"No. Hey Castiel, have you had sex with Dean?" Gabriel asked.

Dean flushed again, snatching at his phone as Gabriel dodged him. He managed to lunge at him and snagged his phone back, shooting Gabriel and Sam both a glare. "Hey, Cas, sorry about that. Our brothers are asses, apparently." He said, giving them both a look. "Anyway, what's up?" He asked, moving around the table so Gabriel wouldn't be able to snatch his phone as easily.

Sam laughed into his hand and held up a high five for Gabriel who returned it with a victorious smirk. Castiel on the line replied, "Oh. I didn't know Gabriel was going to be showing up at your house. I'm sorry if he's causing a ruckus. What is he there for anyways?" he asked.

Gabriel was making kissy faces at Dean, chuckling a little. "I already told you, I'm here to say hello." he said. "You didn't answer my question Cassie!" he said.

Castiel sighed, running a hand over his face. He was used to Gabriel saying nonsense so he wasn't actually listening to what he said. "You're welcome to hit him or kick him out if he's being a bother." he said.

"Tempting, but even if I kick him out I still have to deal with Sam." Dean replied. "Two against one- not exactly fair." He said pointedly, glancing over at them. "But anyways, ignore them. That's what I'm trying to do. Before they started being idiots, we were planning out a way to help you out, get Raphael out of your hair." He said, walking into another room in an attempt to get away from them.

"Aw Deanie~ Don't run away from us." Gabriel called after him with a laugh, only to be echoed by Sam's. "We just want to be friends and hear about your love life." he said, not making an attempt to follow Dean.

Castiel paused, waiting. "You're devised a plan for getting rid of Raphael? How did you come up with that?" he asked.

Dean rolled his eyes at their calls, ignoring them and focusing on Cas. "Well, it was Gabriel's idea, mainly." He admitted. "But I'm going to get Charlie and Kevin to help us out- we're gonna give Raphael fake orders to leave, basically." He explained, hoping Cas would approve of the idea.

"Oh. Gabriel wanted to help? But that's a good idea... that could possibly work." Castiel responded. "But how do you know if they can actually do that? Not prove that it's a fake?" he asked. "Do you even think Charlie and Kevin would help us? This is kind of a personal task." he added.

"I think they'll help us. I'm gonna talk to them tomorrow, see what they say, and if they agree we'll all meet back here and figure it all out." Dean replied. "I really think it's gonna work Cas." He added breaking into a grin.

Castiel could hear the smile in Dean's voice, "That sounds like a good plan." he said. "I don't think I'll be able to be there and help but I will help in any way I can." he offered. He was sitting in his room, supposedly doing his studying but he called Dean.

"That's alright, I get it." Dean replied. "If this all works out, you'll get to go wherever you want again with whomever you want." He added with a grin. "But I guess for now just act normal and he'll be gone in no time." He assured Cas.

Castiel smiled a little, "Okay. That sounds great." he said.

The sound of the door being opened startled Castiel, he jumped in his seat, putting away his phone. He looked over at Raphael, trying to keep a calmer look. "Raphael. What can I help you with?" he asked.

Raphael stepped into his room, "I heard you talking, you are supposed to be studying, Castiel." he said. "Do not make me disappointed." he looked at him.

Castiel clutched his phone, not having hung up on Dean yet. He was hoping Raphael would leave after his reply so he could say his goodbye to Dean. "I won't. I am studying. I just took a small break." he said.

Raphael nodded a little before he took a few quick strides and snatched Castiel's phone from where he thought he was hiding it. Castiel made a sound of protest as Raphael took it.

"Distract him again and I will destroy any family means of yours." Raphael threatened.

Castiel's eyes widened, "Raphael!" he said with anger. Raphael hung up the phone as a sound of what seems to be a slap rang through.

"Cas? Cas!" Dean yelled into the phone, but the line was dead. "Damn it!" He cursed, slamming the phone down and striding quickly back to where Sam and Gabriel were. "You. You have to go home." Dean demanded, pointing at Gabriel. "You have to help Cas, distract Raphael, I don't care, but you have to do something." He continued, hands clenched tightly into fists. "Or if you don't, I will."

Gabriel's smile was gone, he grabbed his keys and was out the door in the next second. Sam looked at Dean worried, "What happened?" He asked.

Dean glanced at Sam and sighed, forcing himself to unclench his hands. "Raphael said I was distracting him, threatened me, and hit Cas." He replied, still visibly furious.

Sam had a disbelieving face, "You're kidding... that's. Wow what a dick...I was secretly hoping you were just freaking about his bruise but..." He shook his head. "We'll help him, don't worry. Tomorrow. Gabriel will get him tonight." He said. "Go take a breather. You look like you're going to murder someone." He looked over at Dean.

Dean shook his head, running his hands through his hair. "Yeah, you're right, Gabriel'll help him out tonight and we'll get that son of a bitch outta there tomorrow." He said, taking a long breath to calm down that didn't seem to work. He sighed in frustration. "I'm gonna go work on the impala." He muttered, storming out the door and only managing to not slam it off its hinges with great effort.

Castiel got his phone back after Raphael left, he held it close, wanting to call Dean, but he didn't want to get in trouble. Tomorrow.

Dean spent a few hours roughing up the junk cars before calming down to actually work on the impala, trying not to think too much about Cas. He couldn't help him now, he reminded himself continuously. Tomorrow.

Castiel woke up early, going downstairs and just making food. He finished it quickly and got changed, wanting out as soon as he could. He wanted to see Dean.

Dean exhausted himself so that he'd be able to sleep and woke up before his alarm the next morning. He got ready in record time, wanting to waste no time in getting to Cas and making sure he was okay.

Castiel got dropped off and he walked into class right away. He sat down and waited for Dean. He felt a sense of emptiness and the need to see Dean. Dean was where he felt the best.

Dean hurried into the class, locking onto Cas as soon as he entered. "Are you okay?" He asked worriedly before even sitting down. "I got Gabriel to go try to help, but I don't know how much it worked."

Castiel looked up at Dean who came in and he immediately felt a sense of comfort and relief. "I'm okay. Gabriel stayed with me yesterday." He replied. He stared at Dean for a moment. "Dean." He said softly. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say after but he just felt like he needed to say his name.

Dean felt a wash of relief as he sat down, knowing that Gabriel had been there. He glanced up at Cas curiously as he said his name, wishing he could wrap his arms around him and protect Cas from everything, but knowing he couldn't.

"I'm here." He replied instead, hoping it might provide some form of reassurance.

Castiel smiled, "I know." He said. He wanted a hug but the class was already filling. He sighed a little, "Good morning Dean." He said.

Dean smiled slightly in return. "Morning, Cas. Ready for your knight to save the day and free you from the dragon?" He joked with a grin.

Castiel laughed lightly, "Yes. I'm waiting for the knight in shining armor to save me." He said. They talked for the rest of the period, only at the end of science that Castiel asked a question. "Are we going to the roof during lunch to find Charlie?" He asked.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, we're gonna find her and I'll talk to Kevin during wood shop. Don't worry, I'm sure they'll help us." He added, though he was somewhat more uncertain than he had been the previous night.

"Then we'll meet at the roof instead today, so we have a head start." Castiel replied. He wasn't sure if this plan would work but it was worth a shot.

At lunch they immediately went to the roof and met at the door. Castiel looked at Dean before he tried the knob. It was locked. Castiel sighed. "I don't know where she would be then." He said.

The sound of footsteps came from behind them and they turned to look. Charlie looked up at them, pushing one of her headphones back, "Sup bitches. Come to crash my spot? I'm cool with it but if the door is rocking don't come a knocking." She laughed.

Dean grinned in relief in seeing Charlie. For a horrible moment their entire plan seemed to have fallen apart because of one locked door. "Charlie, just who we wanted to see." He said. "We wanted to talk to you, see if you'd be willing to help us out a little."

"Depends what are you asking?" Charlie inquired.

Castiel looked at her, "We kind of need you to hack-" he started.

Charlie interrupted, "Awesome. Who?" She asked.

"Angels." He said.

Charlie's eyes widened, "You're fucking kidding right? Angels? Wow that's a hefty request, you do know who they are don't you?" she said incredulously.

"Yes I do, my parents run it." Castiel replied.

Charlie's jaw dropped, "You're fucking kidding. You? Heir of Angels? You're a bundle of surprises." She shook her head.

"So you won't help?" Castiel frowned.

"Are you fucking kidding?! This is like hacker pro-status if I get this. You're like helping me, helping you! Fuck yeah! Count me in." She grinned "This is totally illegal, but I've always wanted to see how far I could get with my skills."

Dean beamed. "See, this is why I like her." He said to Cas with a laugh. He'd been getting more and more paranoid that she wouldn't help, but her final enthusiasm filled him with relief. "We're meeting up at my house after school to sort out all the details and whatever. Sound good? I'm gonna get Kevin Tran to help out too."

"Oh, the AP kid." Charlie told him. "Alright, that's cool, I already know where you live. And before you ask how, duh. Hacker." She said.

Castiel grinned, "Thank you, Charlie. This means a lot." He said.

"Oh you're welcome. So what are we busting into Angels for? Kicks and giggles? Secret information?" She asked, rubbing her hands together and looking between the two for information.

"Wait, you looked up where-?" Dean stopped, figuring he didn't want to know. "Nevermind. We're hacking them to send fake orders to one of their bastards, Raphael. He won't leave unless he gets orders, and we need him gone." He replied, not wanting to give too many details in case it upset Cas or something.

"Oh, so we actually do have a goal. Why are you guys doing this? Who is Raphael?" Charlie asked.

"He's...He's my brother and let's just say...he and I do not have the best relationship." Castiel explained. He rolled up his sleeve for her and her face darkened.

Charlie nodded, "Well, you guys have me in so no need to worry, I'm top notch. I'll make sure we don't get caught." she said. "Free of charge for the first time." She grinned. "Now did you guys come to the roof just for this or what?" She asked.

"We came to talk to you and maybe eat, I guess. I actually have to go to class today so I can talk to Kevin." Dean replied, wanting to just stay on the roof again but knowing he definitely had to talk to Kevin.

"Cool, we can just get away from everyone." She said, coming up and taking out a duplicated key and opening the door. She sighed happily, "Best place to get work done." She smiled as she stepped into the roof.

Castiel and Dean followed after her, "Do you eat lunch up here?" He asked.

"Nope. I don't eat lunch, too many people and it sucks here." She said.

Castiel nodded a little, "Then come eat with us, I make our lunches and I'm okay with sharing mine." He offered.

Charlie looked at him, "You're so different. Clueless but powerful, innocent and a housewife, dreamy and gay. I could just take you home." She laughed. "I like you guys." She said.

Castiel tipped his head to the side, "Thank you? We like you too." He said.

Dean arched a brow, grinning slightly. "If you think he's great now, just wait until you try the food he makes." He replied with a laugh. "And you're pretty great too- you say what you want and don't give a damn what people think."

"People are so petty to worry that much about. I could care less about their 2 cents. One year from now I'm going to be doing it big, everything at my will, and changing the world." Charlie grinned. "Come visit me, maybe I'll have a trophy wife." She laughed.

Charlie patted Dean on the shoulder, "You have a cute boyfriend, I'm a bit jealous." She said.

Castiel blushed a little, sitting down and opening his bag. "Come sit." He said. "I made chicken fajitas. I saw it on television." He smiled at Dean. "Gabriel showed me how to work our television." He said.

Charlie looked from Castiel to Dean back to him. "He's kidding right? What is he? Like a unicorn?" She asked.

Dean laughed. "Yeah, pretty much." In more ways than one. "He's never seen any cartoons either and he climbed his first tree this week." He chuckled.

Charlie arched a brow and leaned over to Dean's ear. "Lemme guess, you're getting all his firsts. Teaching him everything. You lucky son of a Bitch." She lightly shoved him. "Kinky." She laughed.

Castiel tipped his head to the side. Charlie smiled at him, sitting down. "I'm going to try this then." She said. Castiel nodded and offered her one. She took a bite of it and she quickly swallowed it, "No way Dean! You're such a lucky bastard!" She whined.

Dean grinned smugly, sitting down beside Cas. "Trust me, I know. Lemme guess, one of the best things you've ever had, right?" He asked, taking one as well and trying it. "Cas, I don't know how you do it." He said in wonder, taking another bite.

Charlie nodded, "This is fantastic!" She stared at him for a little, "So you know if you want to pay me..." She started.

Castiel laughed, "I'll make you food." He said.

Charlie whooped, "Yes!" She grinned.

Dean laughed. "See, you can definitely pay anyone with this food. It's fantastic." He said to Cas before turning to Charlie. "Careful though, it makes regular food taste a hell of a lot worse once you've tried this." He joked. It was incredibly relaxing to just be talking and laughing while eating lunch, as real friends just enjoying each other's company.

They all joked and laughed on the roof. Eventually lunch was over and they had to get back to class. "Well nice talking to you fellas. See you bitches later." Charlie did a two finger salute and left first.

Castiel smiled, feeling a lot better. He looked at Dean before wrapping his arms around his neck and giving him a small kiss. "Thank you for trying for me." He said. "It's really nice of you."

Dean smiled, "Any time. Now we just need Kevin to be on board and you'll be free in no time." He wrapped his arms around Cas, giving him a slight squeeze.

Castiel sighed happily, "A modern day fairytale, wouldn't you say?" he joked. "We better get to class then." he said, looking up at Dean with a small smile.

Dean chuckled. "Yep, modern day fairy tale. Except with school. But I guess we have to go to class, if only to get Kevin in our plan." He replied.

Castiel nodded with a small, "Yeah I feel better now..." he said, hugging Dean before letting go. "Okay. Go talk to Kevin then." he said.

"Alright. See ya soon." Dean replied, reluctant to leave but knowing that a little time apart would give them the whole weekend. He shouldered his bag and walked towards the door, glancing back at Cas with a smile before disappearing down to get to the shop. He walked in, scanning for where Kevin would be. Castiel waved a little to him before getting his things and walking to class, Dean had shown him the way before going to the roof so he easily found it and sat down.

Kevin was behind Dean as he walked into class. Dean didn't move from the doorway so Kevin spoke up, "Way to block the doorway Dean." he said. Dean jumped a little at his appearance. He walked into class, chuckling a little. "You okay there? Looking for someone?" he asked as he got settled in.

Dean turned and followed him, sitting down beside him. "Yeah, you, actually." He replied. "I know we haven't really talked all that much, but I was wondering if you'd be interested in doing me a favor. It's kind of a lot to ask, but it'd really help Cas out." He said, waiting to give details once he knew Kevin was interested.

Kevin looked over at him, "You're asking me for a favor?" he arched a brow. "Cas... like Castiel. I helped him out yesterday I think. Why, what's up?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's right." Dean replied. "Basically, we need to get rid of this guy, Raphael. He's here on orders from Angels. We're gonna fake orders to call him back." He explained.

Kevin's eyes widened, looking at Dean with a weird look. "You're kidding right? That's like super illegal. Why would you want to get rid of this guy anyways?" he asked. "How would this even help out Castiel?"

Dean suppressed a sigh, realizing he should've known Kevin wouldn't be as willing as Charlie. "He's Cas's brother and he's trying to trap Cas into a life he doesn't want. He won't let him leave the house or see people." He continued, voice lowering slightly. "He's...abusive. Castiel isn't safe with him."

Kevin looked at him with a shocked looked, "Wow you're not kidding. Why the hell would he even do that?" he said in a disgusted tone. "How am I supposed to help anyways? I'm just an AP student." he said.

Dean blinked, realizing that he didn't actually know why they needed Kevin. "Well we're meeting up at my house after school to sort out the plan and everything." He said, know Gabriel wouldn't have mentioned him if they didn't need him.

"I'll come help if you guys need me..." Kevin agreed. He would know what abuse could do to someone so he chose not to let someone else suffer it. "I have no idea where you live though." he said. "I don't have to do anything like literally linked to this being illegal do I?" he asked.

"No no, I'll take the blame before any of you guys do." Dean grinned. 'This plan could actually work!'

"Thanks Kevin, that's awesome. And I can give you a ride if you want." He offered.

Kevin nodded, "Yeah okay, my extra classes got canceled tonight anyways so I'm free." He said. "A ride would be great." He smiled slightly. He reached into his pocket and sent a text to his mom, leaving Dean to his good mood.

Dean pulled out his own phone, shooting Cas a quick text.

 **Dean:** _Kevin's on board too._

He sent, pocketing his phone again. The rest of the period passed by what seemed to be a lot slower than normal, but he knew it was just because he was anxious to get home. When the bell finally rang, he glanced over at Kevin.

"See ya in the parking lot after school." He said.

Kevin nodded, "Later Dean." He said, waving a little.

Castiel got Dean's text, smiling a bit as he went to art. He felt excited now, ready for school to end. The art period for him went by slower than usual, but they were going to make kiln pottery so he had something to do. Gym was coming soon and he could see Dean. He quickly washed his hands and cleaned up. He knew that he was going to wait outside his class for Dean, so he shouldered his bag and as the bell rang, he waited there.

Dean made his way out of the health room, glad that waste of time was over. He hurried down the hall, dodging around people and grinning when he saw Cas waiting for him.

"Hey." He greeted, coming up beside him.

Castiel smiled at him, "Hello Dean." He replied, they soon started waking to their gym period. "So Kevin agreed and is coming to your house too? Do you even know the plan that Gabriel is making? Or if he's even going to be there?" He asked.

"Uhh, no, not really. I mean, I think he's going to be there, and I know the basic idea of the plan, but otherwise no." Dean replied, frowning slightly. He wished he'd thought to ask, but then they'd joked about sleeping with Cas and he'd gotten completely distracted.

"I'm sorry about my brother yesterday. He's quite childish, though he is older than us." Castiel replied. "I think you guys will figure it out, you guys are really smart." he smiled a little. "But it sounds like you had fun yesterday when he came by." he looked up at Dean.

"He wasn't bad. A little embarrassing, but so was Sam." Dean replied with a chuckle. "I didn't really mind. Plus he had the plan to break you out, which was cool." He said, glancing over at Cas as they walked.

Castiel laughed lightly, "Gabriel is...Gabriel. There's no other way to describe him." He said. "Well I hope things turn out fine. I want to come help but I have to go home." he said sadly. "I'll help in any way I can if you need me to though." He looked up at Dean as they stood near the locker room.

Dean laughed. "Yeah, that's the only way to describe him. And everything's gonna turn out great, don't worry. But I'll text you updates of how it's going." He offered, pushing open the locker room doors.

Gym went by smoothly for them and they were going to have their first flag football game on Monday. They were let back in the locker rooms to get changed. Once they both changed, they walked to the entrance together.

Castiel sighed softly, "I'll be waiting to talk to you then." he said. "Thank you for doing this when you don't actually have to." he smiled. "I guess you really want to be my knight in shining armor." he laughed a little.

Dean smiled slightly, realizing that Cas was at least partially right. He wanted to save Cas, as if that would somehow even things out between them. After all, Cas was incredible but Dean was just Dean. "Well, someone's gotta be there to help the damsel." He joked. "And if all this works out, how about a kiss as a reward?" He asked with a grin, lowering his voice slightly to make sure only Cas heard.

Castiel smiled, "Don't they always?" he chuckled softly. "Pi Vasorisi Pil Nolipid. I promise my knight." he said to him and translated. "Goodbye Dean." he waved, seeing the car pulling up.

Dean smiled softly, giving Cas a little wave as he watched him get into the car. He stayed where he was until the car pulled away, then started heading to his own car. He was more determined than ever to save Cas.

Kevin was standing in the student parking lot, looking around for Dean. He soon spotted him, "Hey, Dean. Was that just Castiel leaving?" he asked.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, he can't help us today, but his brothers coming. I think. Oh, and Charlie, the hacker." He added, unlocking the car.

"Oh, I know her." said Kevin, going to the passenger side and sitting in as Dean did. "Uh, nice car. Very sleek. I didn't imagine you having this car but hey, whatever is whatever." he said as he put on his seat belt. "You don't have Castiel's help but his brother's? I thought you said he was the one being abusive to him, why would he help us?" he asked.

"It's not my car. It's Cas's. I'm borrowing it for a while, until I can get mine fixed up." Dean replied, starting it up and pulling out of the lot. "And it's his other brother, Gabriel, that's helping. Cas can't come without his other brother getting suspicious." he attempted to explain as he drove.

Kevin nodded, accepting that answer. He wasn't really sure why he was needed but he figured he might as well pitch in and help in any way he could. They soon arrived to Dean's house, noting that two other cars were here. Kevin glanced at Dean before they went inside to hear three voices. Gabriel's, Sam's, and Charlie's. They were laughing and talking. They all turned to look at Dean as he came in with Kevin.

"Sup bitches." Charlie greeted.

"Dean-O, making myself at home in your home. Hope you don't mind. Not that it matters. You must be Kevin!" Gabriel grinned.

Sam looked over at Dean and at Kevin, "Oh, I know who you are." he said.

Kevin looked up at him, "Oh, 'sup Sam." he waved.

"Wow, okay, full house." Dean replied, glancing over everyone. He was admittedly relieved to see Gabriel there, since he seemed to know the actual plan. "Okay, well, looks like we're all here. Let's get the son of a bitch out." He said with a smirk.

Charlie nodded, "Yeah! But one sec." she said. She looked back at Gabriel and Sam, "So bets in, when do you think they'll do it?" she asked.

Sam hummed, touching his chin. "This weekend." he said. "Probably Saturday." he added.

Charlie nodded, "Alright, fine. I say sometime next week, probably on the roof if they're daring enough." she grinned.

Gabriel shook his head, "Ah you kinky vixen. If things go well they'll have the whole weekend. I say the whole weekend." he said.

Kevin looked at them, "I'm following in on Sam. Saturday sounds about right." he said.

They all turned to him, "You know about them dating?" they asked.

Kevin shook his head, "You just confirmed it, but it was pretty obvious when I first met him." he said.

Charlie laughed, "Wow, they are such cuties!" she grinned. "Sounds so romantic, love at first sight." she hummed softly.

Gabriel laughed a little, "Okay, bets in. 20 bucks sounds okay with you guys?" he asked.

Kevin laughed, "I call for crashing here at some point for a huge party." he said.

"Okay fine, racking up the stakes. 10 bucks each person and in charge of pizza when we're done." Gabriel looked at all of them. "Deal?"

"Deal." they said in unison.

Dean stood, aghast, listening to them make bets about when he was going to have sex with Cas. "Did you just- I'm not- this isn't- you're really doing this now?!" He finally managed, running a hand over his face. "I can't believe this." He muttered to himself.

Gabriel laughed, "Awww, Deanie's embarrassed." he said.

Charlie shrugged, "We were talking about you and Castiel before you guys came and we came to this topic so I guess it was only logical to finish the conversation, you here or not." she said.

"I like your friends, Dean, they're fun." Sam laughed. "So since the first day huh?" he arched a brow.

Kevin nodded, "Yep. Nearly cut his finger off worrying about Castiel." he said. Dean groaned hardly believing they were actually all discussing this.

Charlie laughed at little, "Oh you got it bad Dean. Like super mega bad." she said. "This is absolutely adorable. We get to play rescue and a top secret group. You guys are awesome." she said.

Gabriel chuckled, "Alright, let's get down to business shall we? I called you two here for important reasons. Charlie, we need you to hack into the system and start fishing through the databases to pull up actual orders to make this authentic, there should be a lot of firewalls and security that you need to work through, but they should be fairly simple to a certain extent. I'll help you when you get to that point." he explained to her first.

"Kevin, I called you in because you know your way around documents and all that. I assume you can do research on the corporation and actually make a believable profile to make an order. We need to get at every ends to make sure there are no loose ties and I will supervise for you to make sure it works. I have Raphael where he should be and everything else. Dean can keep Castiel updated about anything if you need to; we need to make sure Raphael has a constant location to make sure he doesn't go back to headquarters for real orders. Sam, you are going to be helping me read over these orders and making sure it sounds pristine and legit. Everyone got it?" he asked.

Everyone looked at Gabriel like he was a different person than he was two seconds ago. Charlie nodded her head, taking out her laptop and pulling up the website and getting to work. Sam led Kevin to another computer so he could research and Sam had Gabriel's laptop.

Gabriel looked at Dean, "You're welcome to help but you're the pretty face we need." he smiled.

Dean decided to ignore their talking about his love life. He arched a brow, grinning as everyone set off to work on their respective projects. "Man, Gabriel, you really planned this out. I'm gonna text Cas, get him up to speed. Let me know what else I can do."

"Duh, You don't go on a rescue mission with guns ablazing without a plan. That's like a suicide mission and I like to win." Gabriel grinned. He sat down next to Charlie watching her work as everyone did what they're supposed to. "Oh and Dean, since you said that Raphael caught him last time talking on the phone, it would probably be better if you don't texted him because Raphael could actually text you back if he has Castiel's phone. Calling would be a risk but he wouldn't know." he said.

Charlie glanced over at Gabriel while her fingers flew across the keys, "Thinking ahead. I'm impressed." she said.

Gabriel laughed, "I have my days." he replied.

Charlie laughed, going back to her keys. "We should make a group and name it. I would love to be part of a group with you guys." she said.

"We'll think of it later once we don't have a task." Sam spoke up.

Kevin was pulling different things up, "Anyone want to call food?" he asked.

Gabriel looked at Dean, "Your choice." he said as he went back to Charlie.

"Okay, I'll call some food and then call Cas. Pizza sound good everyone?" Dean said, glancing around before grabbing the phone and calling up a variety of pizzas for everyone. Everyone just agreed, trying to do their job as Dean called in. After he ordered, he grabbed his cell phone to call Cas, hoping he was alone and had it on silent. He soon was calling Castiel, stepping out of the room.

Castiel looked over at his phone, seeing it light up. He was outside this time, not choosing to be in the house. He was by the dock with a book, reading.

He picked up his phone, "Dean?" he answered.

"Hey Cas, just thought I'd call to give you an update. Turns out Gabriel had a mastermind plan for all this." Dean told him with a grin. "We'll get Raphael outta there in no time. How are things over there, by the way?" He asked.

"I'm sitting outside with a book by the dock." Castiel replied. "Gabriel can be very smart, but he chooses to be lazy and eat sweets all day. I'm not actually surprised. Though sometimes he acts like he knows everything." he added. "Is everyone currently in your home helping?" he asked.

"Yep, everyone's hard at work on the escape plan. We ordered in food and everything. It feels like one of those crazy FBI shows. I just need a pair of sunglasses." Dean joked.

Castiel laughed a little, "Well what you guys are doing are pretty top secret. You guys sound really cool and amazing." he praised. "I'm happy we're friends with them, they're nice." he said.

"Me too. I don't think this would even be close to possible without them. Actually, I know it wouldn't. My best plan would've just been to kidnap you." Dean replied with a laugh.

Castiel laughed lightly, putting down his book. "Oh? Kidnapping? Well at least you could think of something." He said. "Taking the damsel from the tower? Sounds daring." He joked.

Dean chuckled. "Yeah, definitely daring. Probably wouldn't work, but it'd be awesome while it lasted."

"Are you sure that you would even get me out? I think it would be better if I just kept you." Castiel replied with a smile. He had set the book aside, giving Dean his undivided attention.

"Yeah, that would probably work out better. I wouldn't mind." Dean replied with a grin. He was leaning against the wall, apart from the others but still being able to faintly hear them. "But instead we've got a whole rescuer team working to get you out." He said. "Even if it is a little weird how invested they are in us. Literally." He added, remembering the bets.

Castiel tipped his head to the side, though Dean couldn't see the gesture. "What do you mean?" he asked. "We haven't known them for long so having them help us with such a huge task seems a bit odd, but they don't seem to mind and I greatly appreciate that." he replied.

"Oh no, I think it's awesome they wanna help us out. Like I said, we couldn't do it without them." Dean replied. "But I'm pretty sure part of why they're helping is so they can win a bet." He joked.

"A bet? What bet?" Castiel asked.

Dean chuckled slightly, unsure if it was a good idea to tell Cas about it. "They bet on when we'd, y'know, do stuff." He replied awkwardly.

"Stuff? What stuff?" Castiel asked. "That is such a vague term." he replied.

Dean stood up from the wall, starting to pace slightly. He couldn't believe he was going to explain to Cas that their friends had been placing bets on when they'd have sex.

"Sleeping together, but without the sleeping?" He tried.

"So, lying in bed together? We've done that Dean." Castiel replied. He could hear a slightly different pitch in Dean's voice. He wondered what was making Dean a bit nervous.

Dean paused. Cas's innocence was actually really endearing, and Dean almost didn't want to tell him. It was making it near impossible to just say 'have sex'.

"That's not exactly what I mean. More physical than just laying." He hinted.

Gabriel had peeked out of the doorway, since he saw Dean pacing and talking about the bet. He laughed a little to himself. "The pizza man Cassie!" he said loudly before popping back into the room with everyone else with a snicker, enjoying Dean's confused face. "Also pizza came, I paid." he added before leaving.

Castiel paused on the phone, "...Like intercourse?" he said in a small tone, blushing a bit.

"Uh, yeah. They bet on when that'd happen." Dean replied. "The pizza man?" He asked with a confused frown. "What does that mean?"

Castiel was flustered, "Um...we...G-Gabriel and I...yesterday, he had shown me...a video...that uhm...had two people in it...and t-there was ah..delivery... but he didn't leave after...and he um...gave her more than what she asked..." he stuttered, not really sure how to describe it. "I believe there was...intercourse, but I got too embarrassed and told Gabriel to turn it off..." he said quietly.

"Gabriel showed you porn?" Dean asked incredulously, breaking into a grin. He couldn't imagine sweet little Cas watching porn.

"...I believe so..." Castiel said in a small voice. "They were making bets on when we would?" he asked after a few moments of calming himself. "Why would they?" he added.

"I dunno, they're dicks. It's alright, they're just having fun. At our expense." Dean added with a chuckle. "You okay?" He asked, knowing Cas had to be embarrassed.

Castiel sighed softly, "I'm okay...when did they say we were going to...?" he asked. He was still a bit flustered, but he wanted to know what the others thought.

"Well, Charlie says next week. Sam and Kevin say Saturday." Dean replied. "And, uh, Gabriel says all weekend." He added with a sort of awkward cough.

Castiel made a small embarrassment sound, his mind drifting into thought. The blush returned, he pulled up his legs and kind of buried his face there a little. The day after tomorrow was Saturday, and it was technically the weekend- at least Charlie assumed they would wait a little longer. He didn't get why they would think they would so quickly. He peered up from his legs, looking at the water.

Would he actually mind? He hadn't done it before, but it was Dean. He was the person who showed him how to kiss, and it felt really good. He would love to kiss Dean all the time, but sex was a lot more intimate and... More. He thought about it, hugging himself closer. Dean touching him softly and roughly like he had on the roof. Castiel shivered a little, feeling phantom touches. A small feeble sound passed his lips, unconsciously. His mind was making up different scenarios of Dean touching him, kissing him, everything. He would be lying if he said that he didn't enjoy the idea. He felt the touches ghosting his skin, of kisses on his neck to fingers on his back, slowly treading downwards. He wanted Dean to touch him, not phantom feelings. He barely remembered that he was still on the phone with Dean, getting wrapped up in small fantasy.

Dean was still on the other end, waiting for Cas to speak after hearing the soft noises that he first sounded embarrassed, but the second...

"Uh, Cas? You okay?" He asked, hoping he hadn't made him too uncomfortable. They hadn't exactly talked about this, and he didn't want Cas to think he had to do anything he didn't want to.

Castiel snapped out of it once he heard Dean say something. He flushed again now feeling renewed embarrassment. "I'm okay. I just...spaced out." he replied, after a few moments. He bit his lip, clearing his mind a bit. Castiel sat there for a moment, before he thought of something. "Can you give the phone to Gabriel, just for a moment?" he asked.

Dean blinked, now certain that he shouldn't have brought the bet up to Cas. "Uh, yeah, one sec." He replied, walking back to the room everyone was in. "Hey, Gabriel, Cas wants to talk to you." He said, offering up the phone

Gabriel perked, having candy in his mouth. "For Me?" he asked. He swallowed the piece in his mouth and took the phone. "Yeah, Cassie?" he answered.

"How can you make a bet on something like that?" Castiel asked.

"It was all fun and game, and you know it's going to happen." Gabriel laughed a little.

Castiel huffed on the other line, "I'm cutting you off your sweets." he said.

Gabriel's face dropped, "No. Uh uh. You can't do that. Cassieeeeeeeee." he whined.

"That's wrong of you Gabriel, you shouldn't make bets on that." Castiel scolded him.

"But. But. Cassieeeeeee. My sweets! You can't do this to me." Gabriel whined. "You know I love your sweets the most." he sniffled.

Castiel sighed a little, "Half a week. That's final." he said.

Gabriel pouted his lips and gave the phone back to Dean with a dejected look, "Your boyfriend is mean." he sniffled.

Dean grinned, taking back the phone. "The way he's whining, you'd think you threatened to cut off his leg." He said, glancing over at Gabriel, who was still pouting.

Castiel laughed, feeling a bit better. "No, I said that I wouldn't make him anymore sweets for the time being." he said. "I have a question for you, Dean." he started. "Though I don't think you want to be around them if I ask." he said.

"Alright, one second." Dean replied as he left the room again, walking out of earshot of the others. "Okay, I'm alone again. What's the question?" He asked curiously.

"Would you ever think of...having intercourse with me, Dean?" Castiel asked. "After you told me, I kind of...thought about it, and I would be lying if I said I didn't like the thought. But that was imagination. I'm kind of worried that you wouldn't like me enough to actually initiate that with me... I'm not exactly experienced in anything, so I don't think it'll be enjoyable." he explained softly.

"Cas, that's not even a question. I'm gonna be honest, I've already thought about it." Dean replied unashamedly. He been initially a little freaked out with it all, but the thought of Cas quickly warmed him to the idea. "I just don't want to push you into anything, especially 'cause it's your first time. And trust me, it'd still be enjoyable for me, experience or not." He added.

"...You've thought of it before?" Castiel rested his head onto his knees, "Are you sure? I thought that you said that you only had experiences with females. I'm not a female, Dean."

Dean chuckled slightly. "Yeah, Cas, I know." He replied, sitting down against the wall and lowering his voice slightly. "I was freaked out at first, yeah. I have only had experience with chicks and I've never... felt this way with a guy before. But I do feel this way, and I've definitely thought about it." He explained, thinking of the time in his bedroom.

Castiel sat there for a second, "Really? I haven't had much attraction to anyone of either gender to say, so I wasn't sure on what sexual preference I have...but I am attracted you Dean." he said. "I'm not sure when you have thought about it, but once you brought it up earlier, I thought of our time on the roof..." he said.

"Yeah, I've thought about it." Mainly in the shower, but he decided not to mention that. "And I'd rather have you here than just thinking about it too, trust me." Dean added, feeling a slight flutter in his stomach in hearing that Cas had thought about this too. It was a relief, admittedly.

"Are you saying that if I were there...there could be a possible chance of us...initiating intercourse?" Castiel asked. He squeezed his legs to his chest a little, nervous.

"Yeah, definitely." Dean replied simply, trying not to sound too overly-eager. "If you want to, I want to. And if all this goes according to plan..." He trailed off and shrugged, though he knew Cas couldn't see him. "We'd have the opportunity."

Castiel smiled shyly at the prospect.

Gabriel peeked through the doorway, "Hey you. C'mere, I think we finally have it down. We can almost send it." he grinned. "Tell Castiel that he's a little jerk though." he added before going back.

Dean glanced over and rolled his eyes at Gabriel's last comment. "I think we're about ready to get this thing going, so I think I have to go. I'll call you back after, okay?" He asked as he stood up and made his way to the room with everyone else.

"Okay Dean. I'll talk to you soon." Castiel smiled, hanging up the phone.

Charlie looked over at Dean when he came into the living room, "You have it so bad for him." She commented. He rolled his eyes at her again, but for once didn't bother denying it.

Gabriel huffed, "Who cares? I still don't get my sweets." He pouted, sitting back down.

Kevin looked over at Dean, "Okay so we got into their databases and I think we can make a legitimate order without loopholes and someone catching us." He smiled.

"That's what you get for making bets on our sex life." Dean told Gabriel with a smirk before turning to Kevin. "Dude, that's awesome. So we're ready to send them?" He asked, more than ready to get Raphael out of there.

"Yeah, we can almost send them but every time I get closed to doing something it gets shut down by this dude named Michael." Kevin told him.

Gabriel stopped and looked up at Kevin, "Michael? What's happening?" He asked, going over to him.

"Well apparently each ends ties to him, so I'm wondering if I can crack through it, we'll be able to send it. Is he important or something?" Kevin asked, glancing up from the screen to Gabriel.

Gabriel bit his finger, "He's the eldest of us." he told him. "...He sent the orders." He ran a hand through his hair. "What is this a family intervention? Why is Michael asking Raphael now?" He muttered. "Shit, I thought it was some CEO or lower rank, but Michael?" He groaned.

"What's the difference?" Sam asked.

"Michael is the head right now, right below our parents, they probably left him in charge. Why would he want Castiel now? He's the one who kicked Castiel out." Gabriel shook his head,trying to think of a reason.

"He kicked Cas out? So why's he trying to get him back all of the sudden?" Dean asked, frowning as he walked over to join them by Kevin. "Does this mean this isn't going to work?" He asked, brow furrowing as he looked up at Gabriel. It had to work though, he had promised. It had to.

"You know, I'm not so sure. It will probably send Raphael back but if he sees Raphael we might get a surprise visit from Michael and I'm not looking forward to seeing him again." Gabriel leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "The only person to ever defy him was Lucifer and I haven't seen him in years. Raphael is an enforcer, head of a different area, but if Michael gives him orders he must listen." his face darkened. "It could get messy and I kind of don't want to be held in the crossfire. Our family is fucked up already, this is going to throw it to shits." he explained. "I think Castiel could get out of this for a little while when they try to figure it out but not forever. This could turn out to be a huge family fight." He sighed. "Dammit Castiel. Why did you have to be such a fucking asset to this shithole company?!" he cursed.

Dean's shoulders slumped slightly and he ran a hand through his hair. "Shit." He muttered. He wanted Raphael out, but he didn't want to make things worse than they already were with his family. "So do we have a backup plan?" He asked despairingly.

"I didn't expect this so we don't even have a back up plan to this. I'll have to think of a new one. Fuck!" Gabriel sighed. He grabbed his phone and walked outside.

Dean sighed heavily, frustrated. He pulled out his phone, thinking of calling Cas back but not wanting to break the news to him. He figured he'd wait until Gabriel got back, hopefully with good news.

Gabriel could be faintly heard from outside, he was arguing. Sam looked at Dean, "What if this doesn't work? Then what will happen?" He asked.

Kevin sighed, still working along with Charlie to figure out a different way. Gabriel slammed the door when he came back in, "Those dicks. Now I remember why I don't deal with them." He said.

"What now?" Sam asked.

"I don't know...We can try working on this again tomorrow but right now...things aren't looking that great for us." Gabriel said honestly.

Dean groaned, running his hands through his hair in complete frustration. "Damn it all!" He cursed angrily. "There's got to be something we can do." He sighed, digging his nails into his palm.

They were all standing there with tension running high from not being able to pull through. Gabriel was biting his thumb to figure out what else he could do or else they would all be stuck with Raphael and that was a pain in itself. He paced back and forth a bit and Kevin and Charlie kept working as they tried to devise a new plan.

"We'll have to continue tomorrow. It's not the weekend yet, we'll figure out something." Gabriel sighed. "I'll think of something." he said. "We'll get him."

The group, sighed, stopping in their work. They sat there in tense silence. Kevin's phone is what broke the silence, and he answered it, walking out of the room to talk. Dean's face was still furrowed in aggravation, thinking of anything that he could possibly do now for Cas. He was upset that he couldn't save Cas from something he said he would.

Kevin came back in and said he had to leave, and Charlie said she'd take him home. Sam said bye to them before they left. Gabriel was deep in thought before he grabbed his keys and patted Dean on the shoulder, deciding to go home and check on Castiel.

Dean and Sam were left there, thinking of what to do now.

"They'll think of something, Dean. We can't give up yet." Sam told him.

"I know we can't." Dean sighed, deciding after a moment to do something with his hands to let out his anger. He wanted to call Cas and break the news to him, but he didn't want to have to explain how he couldn't do anything, especially when he had made Cas so hopeful. He couldn't. He couldn't call Cas to tell him this news, to let him know that he would be unsafe until who knows when. That they couldn't spend time together.

Dean walked to the impala, wanting to work on her, but he just slid into the car and put the seat back so he could try to calm himself. He wanted to punch something, take out his frustration. He thought he could finally do something for someone he'd come to care about, but he let them down too. He should have expected it. Things were going right for a change, but because he fucked up again, Cas would finally see how completely useless he was. Everyone did eventually, but he had tried so hard to keep Cas, hoping that he'd stay- unlike everyone else.

Dean threw an arm over his eyes, wanting tomorrow to come already, but also dreading the look in Cas's eyes when he found out that Dean had broken his promise, the disappointment. Maybe it would be the thing that pushed Cas over the edge, that finally made him realize that there weren't actually any benefits to hanging around Dean.

Dean sighed again, his frustration and anger at himself boiling over. If Cas decided to leave him, which would probably be good for him in the long run anyway, the least Dean could do was get Raphael out for him. The thought was depressing, but at least he still had a chance to do something right for a change. Dean stayed in the car until it got late, sulking into the house and collapsing into bed. He eventually fell into a restless sleep, his mind spending the entire night thinking of every possible thing that Cas could say to him.


	5. Here we come Princess!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With low hope, Dean goes to face Castiel at school, hoping that after school that their attempt to save Castiel before the weekend is on the balance. Dean is going to save his Princess.

In the morning, Castiel quickly got out of bed, getting changed. He wasn't sure what was to be expected if Dean managed to get Raphael out but he would just let them go as they went. He just wanted to go see Dean before the weekend, just in case it didn't go right. He just wanted to thank Dean for his effort no matter how sad he would be since he wouldn't be able to see him. He went downstairs, already prepared their lunches yesterday while Dean was working and soon left for school.

Dean groggily woke up, rubbing his eyes and glancing at the time before he rolled out of bed and getting ready for school. He was conflicted on getting ready quicker to see Cas like he did for the past few days or going slow to prolong what Cas could say to him once he knew he'd mess up. His mind continued to conjecture up ideas of anything Cas could say to him, getting more and more paranoid and nervous about facing him as he drove to school. He walked into school, clutching the strap of his bag, taking a deep breath and walking into their first period class and seeing Castiel staring out the window with a smile, looking slightly excited. He thought it was cute for a moment before the unsettling feeling and guilt washed over it, that he'll take that look away from Cas because he couldn't do what he said.

Dean slowly walked up to his desk, "Hey.." he greeted.

"Good morning Dean." Castiel turned to looked at him and greeted him.

Dean felt his heart twist, he might as well get it over with. "We couldn't get Raphael out..." he said sadly, his shoulders slumped down, looking down at his feet.

Castiel's smile faltered for a second before he smiled softly. "It's okay Dean, you tried. And I appreciate your efforts." he told him.

Dean frowned, looking up at Castiel guiltily. "I told you I would help you but I couldn't even do that." he sighed.

"Dean this was a very difficult and hard task, also possibly illegal. I didn't really expect you to succeed but I still believed in you." Castiel reached out and touched Dean's hand. "You gave it your best shot and that's all that matter." he reassured him before taking back his hand once he saw more people come in.

Dean sighed, sitting down in his seat and putting his bag on his desk, "So now what? You're just going to be stuck with that dick?" he asked.

Castiel sighed this time, "Yes...I don't know when Raphael will leave but I will endure until then." he said.

"We'll miss the weekend together." Dean frowned.

Castiel looked at Dean sadly, "It's okay, we have school together and maybe next week Raphael will leave so then we have the weekend again." he offered.

Dean took a breath in and let it out in a rush, "Okay..." he said quietly. He still wasn't happy that Cas would be unsafe and had the whole weekend to spend at home, what if he got hurt? Dean balled up his fist slightly, filled up with new determination. "I'm going to find a way Cas. I will." he said, looking at Cas.

Castiel looked at Dean, "It's okay dean, don't push yourself too much. It really is fine." he told him.

"No it's not. Who knows what's going to happen over the weekend if you're alone in the house with that dick." Dean gritted. "If anything, I'll just kidnap you." he joked lightly, but for a moment he thought of it.

Castiel just stared at Dean, "I'll be okay Dean. I've lived with him before." he said. "Don't worry about it." he repeated before looking toward the board.

Dean spent the class period thinking about ways he could help Cas, maybe other back up plans if that didn't work. Maybe he could say Cas had a project, but then raphael would probably tell him to work at Cas's house. Every plan Dean would think of always came up to a dead end but he didn't give up hope. When they were in lunch, no one really talking about yesterday, they just talked casually as they ate before they had to go to their next period.

When the school day was over, Dean was waiting with Cas by the door. "My phone is always on Cas, call me if you need anything and I'll be there." he said.

Castiel smiled slightly, "I know Dean. I'll call you when I can." he said. He glanced out the door to see a car pull up and he sighed quietly, not wanting to part ways with Dean. "I'll see you on Monday Dean." he said sadly before waving to him and walking out. Dean watched him go, waving a little before heading to car and seeing Kevin already there.

Dean drove home with Kevin like he did the day before, even more determined to try to figure out something. He didn't want to give up hope, he'll find a way. Even though Cas said it didn't matter, he knew that Cas was still disheartened that he had to go home to his brother and they wouldn't be able to see each other.

When Kevin and Dean walked in the house, Charlie, Gabriel, and Sam were already working. Gabriel glanced up at them when they came in and motioned for Kevin to the computer. Kevin put down his bag before going over to Gabriel.

Dean was left again without doing something. He sat down next to Charlie, seeing her type almost blindingly across the keyboard and screens flashing back and forth. Her eyes darted back and forth, muttering softly to herself sometimes.

Sam was doing some research before he turned the computer to Gabriel and they talked a little before Sam went back to searching. Dean felt uselessly as he just sat there. He didn't know if he should text Cas, they just left school. He wanted to know if Cas was okay but he wanted to know in person, not over some stupid text or phone call.

Gabriel ran a hand through his hair a few times, nodding frustratedly to Kevin and pointing and talking quickly. Everyone was tense as they were the night before, hard at work.

Dean glanced to the kitchen, "I'm gonna make you guys some food okay?" he said to no one in particular before getting up to heat up pizza that they had from yesterday. He rubbed his head, trying to call him thoughts from thinking this wasn't going to work. He believed in everyone, they were capable, but what if it isn't enough. Dean sighed, before coming back with plates and sliding it in front of everyone. Everyone mindlessly ate as they worked.

They worked for a few hours before, Charlie broke out into a grin, looking at her computer screen. She threw her hands up, "I am top dog! Best hacker! I got it! I can make a legit order from someone called Naomi, the Milton's highest order. Legit as it comes and I can send it to Michael too. Bow down bitches!" She gloated, dancing slightly in her seat before typing away a few more things.

Dean perked up from sitting on the couch, walking over to Charlie. "Seriously? And that'd work?" He asked excitedly. "Charlie, you're the best." He said with a grin, hope restored. After a while of waiting, he really started to think it wasn't going to work but that all vanished with just one sentence.

Charlie flipped her hair, "I know. No pictures please." She laughed.

Gabriel got up from his seat with a surprised expression, he looked over at her work, "Wow. This really could work. Good job Charlie! I knew that you were the best hacker." He grinned. "This is pretty legitimate, just a few run through with me and Kevin and we can send it and we're good as home." He cheered before bringing the laptop over. Kevin nodded, glancing at it before pulling up different files and continued working to make sure this was flawless.

"Yeah, that's what I want to hear!" Dean cheered, smiling as they set to work. Soon Raphael would be gone and Cas would be free.

Sam looked impressed at Charlie, "You should teach me." He said, now feeling more relaxed that the tension was relieved from the room. They were in the home stretch.

Charlie laughed a little, "Practice Sam and maybe you'll get half as good as me. I'll give you tips though." She smiled. "Dean go tell Castiel, I think he'll like the news." She said happily. "Ah, it's great being great."

Dean nodded, grabbing his phone and dialing up Cas. "Hey, I've got good news." He started as soon as he heard the other end pick up, excited to tell Cas the news.

"Dean? Uh, maybe now isn't a good time." Castiel said quietly. When he came home Raphael was in a foul mood. Raphael snapped at Castiel a few times before he finally escaped to his room, sitting at his desk with his books when his phone went off. He knew Raphael was probably still somewhere close so he spoke lowly. "Can you make it quick?" He asked.

"Oh, sorry, okay. Long story short, Charlie found a way around it. Basically, it's gonna work." Dean told him excitedly, trying to be quick so that he would get Cas in trouble.

Castiel smiled, hearing his excitement. "Really? You found a way? That's great. If it works out then I get to see you tomorrow." He said. He quickly looked up, "Ah, sorry Dean. I have to go. Talk to you soon." He said quietly before he hung up.

"Yeah, okay." Dean replied just before Cas hung up. He glanced over everyone working and grinned. He'd get to see Cas tomorrow.

Gabriel and Kevin grinned at each other, giving Dean's a thumbs up before they sent it. "Woo! Nice work guys! Couldn't do it without you. Cassie is going to have to give me sweets for trying!" Gabriel grinned.

Sam laughed a little, "Probably not." he said.

Gabriel shrugged, "Worth a shot." he replied, finishing the bite of pizza he had left aside.

Charlie leaned back in her chair, "Yeah, we're awesome. So...we should make a group name. I think we should stick together." she said. "But what?" she asked.

Dean grinned, sitting down beside them. "Definitely something cool. Supernatural Hackers or something like that." He joked.

Sam shook his head, "No, that sounds cliché." he said.

Kevin raised a finger, "Supernatural sounds cool. We just hacked Angels Incorp." he said.

"Mens of Letters?" Gabriel tried.

"Hellooooo, female?" Charlie gestured to herself. "I might like women but c'mon." she said.

"Uh, Hunters?" Sam tried.

"Why?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know." Sam replied.

"Well this is a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be." Charlie sighed.

Dean chuckled. "What'd you expect? I like Hunters that sounds cool. But I dunno, I'm not a huge help to the process anyway." He joked with a shrug.

"You're the pretty face that we plaster on stuff." Gabriel replied. "You know...you and Cassie at the base because you brought us all together? Like without Cassie, I would probably not give two shits about you guys." he said.

"Hey!" Sam started.

"Well it's true." Gabriel replied, looking over at Sam and shrugging.

"He has a point, you would have never came to the roof if you didn't want to get away from people." Charlie added.

"And you would always be on task in wood and we would have never talked." Kevin finished.

"And I would never ever know what you did in school because you don't ever talk to me about it." Sam put his 2 cents in. "Strange how Cas popped into your life Dean and put a 360 on it." he commented.

Sam finally thought about it but Cas came into Dean's life all of a sudden and Dean has really changed since then. He found it really weird but he couldn't say he was worried about it since it seemed to be really positive for Dean.

Dean blinked, knowing they were all right. He hadn't realized what a huge difference Cas had made in every aspect of his life until just now. "Yeah, I've never really thought about it but you're right. And hopefully if this works, I can return the favor."

"It's not a favor Dean." Sam started. "He didn't do it because he owes you." He told him.

"He didn't do it on purpose. Whatever he does, like when he offered me to make me food just because, that is just because he's like that probably." Charlie added.

"It's not a favor or a score that you have to even. It's not like that in a relationship." Kevin nodded. "Or that would be a really short relationship if you always needed to keep this scoreboard."

Gabriel grinned, "Castiel just likes you and you like him so you guys make the best of each other." He said.

Sam nodded, "Because I know best of what you think Dean." He finished. "It's not like that and you are better than that." He looked at Dean.

"Well, thanks for the relationship advice, Dr. Phils." Dean joked. "But you're right- Cas didn't do it as a favor and I don't owe him. Still, I hope I - we- can help him out. Because I want to."

"We did and you'll get to see him tomorrow. Maybe if you're lucky. Tonight." Sam grinned. "How fast does an order go through?" He asked Gabriel.

"As soon as they get them." Gabriel replied. "The faster internet we have the faster it gets through and the type of power it has, the top priority it becomes." He explained.

Charlie grinned, "So it should be put through soon. I have direct contact and top order. So maybe you can see him tonight." She said. "Perks of a hacker, best internet." she laughed lightly.

Kevin nodded, leaning back in his chair now that everything was in roll and finished. "I think we should have a huge party sleepover thing and celebrate for this." He said.

"Hey, sounds good to me." Dean replied. "You can stay as long as you want. Pretty much."

"Awesome! Slumber party at the Winchester!" Charlie whooped taking a piece of pizza from the plate and biting into it. She chewed happily, glad that she had something exciting to do other than stay at home and play games.

Sam laughed, "This place is going to get lively huh?" he said.

Gabriel smirked, "Oh. It can get lively. See...I know these girls..." he started.

Charlie whipped her head around, "Please tell me you were going to say something sexy." she said hopeful.

"Strippers." Gabriel finished.

"Eh-" Charlie was going to say something.

"Cosplaying Strippers." He smirked.

Charlie high fived him, "That's what I'm talking about!" she laughed. "I'm totally asking you to be part of my 21st birthday or 18th, no one has to know." she whispered.

Gabriel nodded, "Call me and we'll set up a day." he nudged her slightly before laughing.

Kevin shook his head, "Wow, this is what I missed AP for."

Sam bumped his shoulder, "A whole lot better than studying." he said.

Kevin shook his head in disbelief, "I don't know, I feel like you guys will get me in a lot of trouble." he said.

Gabriel and Charlie turned around, "Oh we will." they said.

They all looked at Dean before turning back to the group and huddled close together, "So I heard Dean in the hallway yesterday, they were talking about that..." Kevin said quietly. "I think me and Sam are totally going to win this." he commented.

"Nuh uh. Would it still count if they do it next week too?" Charlie asked.

"No way, first time first time." Gabriel replied. "Dean is like sex on legs, there's no way he would go just once." he said.

Sam made a gross face, "That's gross. I don't even want to know you think that of my brother."

Gabriel laughed, "I appreciate what I see." he said.

"Fine, New bet? Who bottoms." Charlie started.

They all looked at each other, "Castiel." they all nodded in agreement.

"Dammit, we need a new amp in our stakes." she said. "I don't want to lose." she whined.

"We're already planning a party so whoever loses pays for it but winner chooses what we do." Kevin supplied.

"Fine." Charlie sighed.

Dean grabbed a slice of pizza, glancing at the others huddled together. "Hey, c'mon, I'm standing right here!" He protested, overhearing their conversation. "At least talk about this crap when I'm not around. Or, y'know, not at all." He suggested.

They all looked at him. Sam laughed a little as Gabriel and Charlie replied, "But where is the fun in that?" they said.

"We get to see you flustered" Gabriel said.

"And we get to make money." Charlie added.

Sam shrugged, "We care about your happiness just in a way that makes us happy in the end too." he said. "We're happy for you Dean okay?" he laughed a little.

Gabriel looked at Charlie, before they looked at Dean. "So what's the kinkiest thing you would do?" Charlie asked.

"Cassie is really flexible there's room for ideas." Gabriel snickered watching Dean get more embarrassed. "Ahh This is so much fun. It would be better with sweets." he said.

Dean rolled his eyes, trying to pretend to not be embarrassed. "Yeah, well, at least I don't show my brother porn." He said defensively, giving Gabriel a pointed look.

Sam made a small face, "Dean...you've totally have shown me porn before what are you talking about?" he asked.

Gabriel laughed, "See? It's a brother thing. Wow Dean, showing Sam at such a young age. You should be ashamed." he tsked.

Charlie rolled her eyes, "Boys." she said.

"Well, yeah, but-" Dean broke off, not actually having a good comeback. "Still. I made pizza. That should count for something."

"Dean doesn't make very good comebacks does he?" Kevin arched a brow.

"Awww Dean. You're going to be such an easy target." Charlie teased. "I hope Castiel does show up tonight. I really want to talk to him about...everything."

"Yeah and you might embarrass him to death." Dean replied, thinking of how flustered he'd been initially on the phone. He'd warmed up, of course, but that had just been to Dean.

Charlie shrugged, "Maybe, but who knows. I might get something out of him." She said. "He's like a new slate, it's kind of endearing and a bit odd." She thought about it.

Gabriel laughed a little, "You have no idea what I've tried to get him to try things, he just shoots me down or learned how to avoid me. Devious little bastard." He tsked. "You know I would love to embarrass him, he's such an easy blusher. I seriously wonder how he got into our family sometimes." He said.

Dean grinned despite himself, knowing that Gabriel was right. "Yeah, I don't know how such a great and innocent person could even be related to you." He joked.

Gabriel opened his mouth but shrugged his shoulders and made a face, "Can't argue with that. He is a lot different than me." He laughed. "But don't you think it would be weird if everyone in our family was like that? We would be like unhuman. Well we are called heirs of Angels." He said. "So what? We crash here it or bring the party to Cassie? If my timing is good, Raphael should be gone pretty soon." He grinned.

"Yeah, I guess it's good you're all pretty different." Dean shrugged and grinned. "Call me corny but I just wanna see Cas, even if you're going to be embarrassing." He replied.

Gabriel grinned, "So party at our house? You guys should bring anything you like we could have a pool party! This is going to be fucking great!" He exclaimed.

Sam looked at him, "Are you sure you're older than us?" He laughed a little.

"Eh I'm a kid at heart." Gabriel shrugged.

"Best weekend ever!" Charlie grinned.

Kevin smiled, "Definitely worth missing class for." He said.

Gabriel smirked, "Grab your stuff, get to your cars, we're going to Cassie!"

Dean laughed, enjoying their exuberance. "Pool party huh? Sounds good to me. I can drive you if you want, Kevin." He replied, grinning. He jogged upstairs to grab a few things before returning to his car to follow the caravan of cars heading over to Cas's house.

Gabriel pulled up first to the house, followed by the other cars. They parked in front. Gabriel got out of the car, seeing the surprised faces of everyone but Dean. "Welcome to the Milton estate. C'mon we're going to go barge into Cassie's room." He grinned.

Gabriel quickly went inside, followed by the others who didn't quite look around yet. They took off their shoes and jogged after Gabriel and Dean. Gabriel went up the stairs followed with Dean on his heels. He opened the door of Castiel's room and saw him leaning against the headboard with a book in his lap.

He looked up at them surprised. "Gabriel? Dean!" He said right after.

Dean grinned, enjoying the shocked look on his face. "Surprised? Thought we'd come celebrate your new freedom with you." He said, gesturing behind him to the others who'd followed.

The others stood in the doorway after catching up, Charlie, Kevin, and Sam grinned at him. Castiel quickly put aside his book, jogging over and wrapped his arms around Dean's neck, embracing him. "Yes. I'm very surprised. I'm also really happy." he muttered into Dean.

Dean grinned, wrapping his arms around Cas tightly. "I'm really happy too." He replied, closing his eyes for a half second to enjoy the feel of him before remembering that they had a crowd with them.

Charlie smiled at them, pushing Dean slightly and laughing. "Glad we could reunite you two." she said.

Castiel squeezed Dean a little before he pulled away, but kept close. "Thank you. I'm forever grateful and in your debt." he said, looking over at the group, making eye contact with each to show his sincerity.

"Make lunches for us at the roof and we'll call it even." Charlie replied, grinning at him.

Castiel nodded slightly before looking to Kevin, "Thank you for the other day and you're welcome to join us on the roof for lunch. I make our lunches." he explained.

Kevin smiled, "Cool, I'll swing by when I can when I don't have classes." he said.

Gabriel wiped away fake tears. "Oh, my little Cassie is growing up so quickly. You have friends, you're making plans, you already have a boyfriend. Oh, what a day." he teased.

Dean rolled his eyes but chuckled at Gabriel. "I wouldn't mind the company up on the roof. I mean, it'd be selfish to hog all of Cas's cooking to myself. I'd still do it in a heartbeat, but I guess I can share." He joked, his arm making light contact against Cas's.

Castiel looked up at Dean with a smile, "You're still going to get fat on how much I feed you." he teased, lightly nudging him.

Charlie looked at the others who seemed to have a knowing look. Sam nodded a little as the group exchanged looks. "So you guys check out Cassie's room, I'm going to give these kids a tour." Gabriel smirked.

They all left quickly closing the door behind them. Gabriel popped back in, "Sound proof walls, just FYI. Take your time...the house is big." he winked. Castiel swatted at Gabriel, who quickly left and laughed.

Dean rolled his eyes but smiled, turning to Cas. "Eventually they'll get over those jokes." He said before turning to glance around the room. "So this is your bedroom, huh?"

Castiel nodded, turning around. He had a study desk, a small section of the room made into a library, his bed was off the side, a few pieces of furniture, and a bathroom. "It's a lot more space than I need but I still use it." He glanced at Dean as he gestured to certain things.

Dean meandered around the large room and nodded. Everything was neat and tidy, but it still looked lived in. He turned and smiled at Cas, walking back over to him. "I like it. It fits you." He replied, glancing around again before looking back at Cas.

Castiel smiled, "I suppose so." He said. He played with his fingers a little before walking over to Dean and giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Thank you. I'm really grateful and surprised." He chuckled.

Dean smiled, stepping a little closer to put his arms loosely around Cas's middle. "Good. I was hoping you'd be." He replied. "And now you're free to do whatever you want."

Castiel looked up at him, "How come you guys all came? I thought you were going to be at your house." he asked.

"Gabriel suggested it. Besides, I wanted to see you as soon as possible." Dean replied with a grin.

Castiel smiled, "I wanted to see you too." he replied. He leaned up and kissed Dean gently, but before things progressed there were sounds by the door.

"Wait, move I can't see!" Sam whined.

Kevin made a weird face by the doorway, "I think one of you guys just touched my butt." he stated.

Charlie laughed, "That would be me, you hot potato." she touched his butt again. Kevin looked at her in disbelief.

Gabriel was right in front as they all overlapped him. "Shhh shhh I can't hear." he said.

"I thought you said it was soundproof." Sam stated.

"Well mostly, but if you crack open the door not so much." Gabriel replied.

Charlie pushed the door open a little, "I think I see them, but I can't hear them." she pushed open the door just a little bit more.

"You idiot, they're going to find us." Gabriel told them in a hushed tone.

Kevin sighed, "Why are we spying?" he asked.

"Because it's fun." Charlie and Gabriel replied.

"I just thought of something….what if they actually really did something?" Sam made a small face.

"Huh...I didn't think of that." Gabriel hummed.

Dean looked down at Cas with a half irritated and half amused sigh. "Hm. So much for leaving us alone." He said quietly so the others couldn't hear. He walked around the side of the door, swinging it open suddenly. "Hey guys."

They all tumbled forward onto the ground. They all looked up with an apologetic look. "You can't blame us, it was for a good reason." Gabriel started.

"What reason?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know, but research." Gabriel replied.

Castiel walked up behind Dean and laughed a little at them. "You guys are silly." He smiled.

Charlie grinned, "See he's not mad." She pointed out.

"I'm going to get up now." Sam said.

Charlie laughed, "But why Sam? Don't you like us touching your goodies?" She commented as she got up to.

They all slowly got up and looked over at Dean and Castiel. "We could leave you alone for real this time. We would be by the pool if you need us." Gabriel offered. "You know get your lovey dovies out."

Dean laughed and shook his head as theyy fell into the room, rolling his eyes. "We'll meet you out there in a couple minutes." He compromised with a grin, ignoring the glance that passed between them.

They all nodded, "Okay. We'll go then." Gabriel replied.

Charlie was the first to go, walking down the stairs, "I want to see the house." She said.

Kevin nodded, "I want a tour." He followed Charlie.

Sam looked at Dean, staring a little before he followed after Charlie and Kevin with Gabriel in toll. Castiel looked at Dean as their voices faded away.

Dean waited until he was sure they were gone before closing the door again and turning to Cas with a grin. "So, now we're alone. For real this time, hopefully." He added with a chuckle.

Castiel laughed a little, "They just care. In a...different way, I suppose." he replied. He looked at Dean with an arched brow, "Are you trying to kiss me Dean?" he asked. "Is this why you wanted a few moments before we joined the others?"

Dean hummed and grinned. "Looks like you figured out my plan. Can you blame me though?" He asked, leaning forward to kiss him again.

Castiel chuckled softly, leaning up to kiss Dean. He put his arms back around him, bringing him close. He felt carefree and happy. He didn't have to worry about Raphael anymore and he got to see Dean. It made him swell with happiness. He lightly carded his fingers through Dean's hair, kissing him back.

Dean wound his arms around Cas, happy that he was here and Raphael was not. Cas was safe, they could see each other, and they had all weekend ahead of them.

Castiel thought of something as he kissed Dean, breaking off the kiss and looking at Dean. "I never thought of it but….Sam. You don't….you're not homosexual….you normally date girls….How is he going to feel about this? Is he going to hate you?" he asked, concerned.

"Sammy? No I don't think he'll be mad, I mean hell he was making bets earlier. I mean sure it's different of me, but I guess he just wants to see me happy." Dean shrugged. "He hasn't said anything about it, so I'm not really fully sure what he thinks but I don't think it's bad." he reassured Cas. "I know my brother better than anyone and if he hated you or didn't like what….this is. I'm sure he would have said something or I would have noticed it by now." he told him.

Castiel nodded with a small smile, feeling the doubt and worry wash away. If Dean said it and knowing how much he loved Sam, then his word must be true. He leaned up again to steal another kiss, enjoying the fact that he can have as many as he wanted now.

Dean smiled, always happy to give Cas more kisses. He broke off their kiss gently, resting their foreheads together. "Too bad they're waiting downstairs. I'd just stay up here with you."

Castiel hummed a little, "I think they can wait a few extra moments. Something tells me, they aren't waiting." he looked up at Dean, pausing for a moment as he thought of something before cupping Dean's cheeks and kissing him roughly. He pushed Dean a little so he stumbled back to the wall as he dragged his fingers through Dean's hair. He licked the inside of Dean's mouth, kissing him deeply before he pulled back, looking kind of pleased.

"...That's what the pizza man taught me." Castiel said softly. "I...I didn't watch much more after that."

Dean's brows rose at Cas's sudden movements, a wave of heat washing over him at Cas's roughness. "I'm glad you saw that part." He replied thickly, hand rising to tangle in Cas's hair as he pressed eagerly forward to kiss him again.

Castiel made a small surprised sound even though he probably expected it. He leaned against Dean, letting him lead the kiss this time. He softly played with the nape of Dean's hair this time, not with the edge of roughness he had before.

Dean kissed Cas intensely but stayed gentle, moving his mouth against his hungrily. He tugged lightly against Cas's lower lip as he pulled him closer, keeping his arm wrapped around his waist. All thoughts of the others were gone from his mind, consumed by thoughts of only Cas.

Castiel had a shiver run through him, having Dean kissing him like this. He had one of his hands resting on the side of Dean's neck, cupping his face as he traced his thumb around his jaw and the other in his hair, helping him kiss him as he played with the hairs. Their few minutes were going to be extended to a longer time. Not that anyone else cared, they should expected that much once Dean told them a few minutes.

Dean turned suddenly to flip their position, pressing Cas up against the wall with his body. His hand moved from Cas's back, moving to rest on the side of his hip as he pushed and pulled against Cas's mouth.

Castiel moaned into Dean's mouth, feeling spikes of pleasure run through him. He arched into Dean wanting to be flat against him. He tightened his hand in Dean's hair, lightly pulling on it as a response. His other hand moved from Dean's neck to his shoulder, holding onto him.

Dean pressed more against Castiel, pushing him completely against the wall, wanting to be as close as possible and letting the wall help hold them both up. He broke away from Cas's mouth momentarily to kiss his neck, tongue tracing across his skin.

Castiel panted, getting better at keeping his breath even. He tilted his head to the side a little gasping and making small noises at the kisses on his neck. He grasped Dean's shirt, bundling it a little as he leaned back against the wall. His knees felt a little shaky but he had Dean and the wall to hold him up.

Dean moaned slightly at the noises Cas was making, which encouraged him to bite and suck gently at his skin. His hand moved from Cas's neck to clutch against the wall behind them as his kisses trailed towards his collar bone.

Castiel shivered, making a slightly louder noise at the bite. He let out a shaky breath, feeling his heart flutter and something churning in him. He leaned forward a little and kissed Dean's jaw, placing soft kisses mixed with little licks.

Dean turned his head slightly, leaning slightly into Cas's kisses. The hand on Cas's waist traveled beneath his shirt, tracing against the skin of his stomach. Everything felt like a rush of arousal, new to Dean but he couldn't get enough. He just felt like everything was more intense than what usually happened when he got this far with a girl.

Castiel breath hitched a little, feeling another shiver run through him. The fingers traced over him gently and it made his heartbeat pick up at being treated so carefully. He moaned quietly into Dean's neck, before doing what Dean did to him earlier. He mouthed against his neck, placing a mix of soft and rough kisses. They were never the same, some of them were followed by bites,licks, or a light suck. He wasn't sure if he should leave a mark so he just made sure to let go before it would leave a print in Dean's skin. He gently ran his nose near Dean's ear, kind of rubbing his face affectionately against him as he placed a kiss behind Dean's ear. He lightly licked that spot, followed by a small bite and suck. It was easily hidden so he did leave a mark behind Dean's ear. Having Dean here and touching him felt infinity better than imagining it, the pressure of his body against his, the warmth radiating off of him, the soft trail of fingers against his skin.

Castiel rested against Dean's ear, evening his breath. "Dean..." he breathed out. The voice that he said it in didn't sound like his normal voice, it was lower and a little rough. It sounded a little wreaked with arousal and want as Dean continued to try to draw reactions from him, from pressing him against the wall to his hands moving across Castiel's skin.

A soft moan escaped Dean's lips as Cas kissed, bit, and sucked across his neck. He shivered slightly at the sound of Cas's voice, so full of want. His name felt like a moan coming from Cas's lips, it made a run of pleasure go through him. Dean moved his fingers slightly so that his nails were lightly tracing against his skin, not quite scratching him as his hand moved upwards, revealing more of Cas's stomach as he found and circled his nipple.

Castiel made a startled sound, not ever having someone touch him there before. His breathing was slightly heavy, clutching onto Dean as little sounds came more frequently out of his mouth.

Dean felt his arousal growing, savoring the sounds he was evoking from Cas. His hand rose off of the wall and around the skin of Cas's hip while the other traveled across his chest to tease the other side. He brought his lips to the crook of Cas neck, breath feathering across his skin.

Castiel gripped Dean's shirt in his hands, mind dulled out in pleasure. He was experiencing so many new things from Dean, it was a warmth that pooled in his stomach. He was shaking a little, more unsteady on his feet. He had his eyes squeezed shut but opened them slightly, turning his head toward Dean's and licking his ear. He lightly licked it, biting the edge and lightly sucking. He made a few small moans, arching back into Dean as he continued to tease his nipples.

Dean tugged on the shirt that was bunched over his arms, pulling it over Cas's head to fully expose his torso. He kissed Cas's lips quickly before trailing down his neck and shoulder, sucking and biting where Cas could easily hide the marks.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean's neck, holding himself up. His legs felt weak and he didn't think he would be able to stand on his own without some help. He kissed Dean's forehead and temple, bundling the back of Dean's shirt in his hands.

Dean felt Cas hang onto him for support, glancing back quickly at the bed before facing Cas again. "Hang on to me." He instructed before bringing their lips together again.

Dean pushed Cas's legs apart with his knee before crouching down slightly, tilting his face upwards to keep the kiss going while his hands trailed down the back of either thigh. He pressed Cas against the wall before suddenly hitching his legs up and around Dean's middle. He put one arm around Cas to hold him and the other gripped the back of his thigh, supporting him as he turned and stepped quickly towards the bed.

Castiel didn't have a chance to reply, not that he could really make much sense right now. He just tightened his arms around Dean returning his kiss. He felt Dean shifting him, but he didn't understand why until he felt Dean hoist him up. He gasped and moaned into Dean's mouth, hanging onto him. He felt a shot of arousal shoot down to his groin, but he didn't understand why. He wrapped his legs around Dean, making his traveling easier for him. He played with the ends of Dean's hair, kissing him with some roughness like he did earlier. His bit at Dean's lip, sucking on it. He had leverage over Dean for the short period so he used it. He twisted tongues with him, tasting the inside of his mouth. He dragged it across his slightly sharper canines, trying everything curiously.

Dean moaned into his mouth, surprisingly turned on by Cas taking some control. He got to the bed, putting one knee on it and leaning forward so that Cas was partial sitting and partially holding on to him still. His hand stayed firmly on Cas's back as the other skirted up and down his thigh.

Castiel tilted his head into Dean, making a better angle into the kiss. He lightly grazed his teeth over Dean's tongue, rubbing his tongue against his. He figured he was doing well from Dean's reactions. He pulled back after a little having a small strand of spit connecting them. He licked Dean's lip again before pulling back a little as his eyes fluttered open to look at Dean. Dean's eyes were black, ringed in green. He rested his forehead against Dean's, still having his arms wrapped around Dean's neck. He felt a strain of arousal in his pants having Dean's warm hands move on his thighs, everything Dean did made him feel sensitive and a shiver ran through him. He looked down, seeing that Dean was having just as much of a reaction as he was and that made him feel better that it just wasn't him enjoying it. He looked up again at Dean, kissing the corner of his eye. He lightly kissed other areas on Dean's face, his cheekbones, his eyelids, his nose, the corner of his mouth, before giving him a soft kiss.

He sighed softly, "Dean..."

Dean leaned lightly into Cas's kisses, his eyes fluttering shut as he focused on the feel on his lips against his skin. They opened again at the sound of Cas's sigh and his hand slowed it's motion against his thigh as Dean met his gaze. "You okay?" He asked. The want was obvious in Cas's eyes and against his jeans, but Dean forced himself to pause to listen to Cas's response.

Castiel looked at Dean, taking a hand to cup Dean's cheek and rubbing a thumb across it. He nodded in response to Dean's question, "More than okay." he replied.

He was a little self conscious about his body though Dean has already taken off his shirt, he hasn't actually looked at him. He felt a bit nervous that he had old scars of bullying. He didn't want Dean to be disgusted by having injuries on his skin when Dean himself was already perfect. He leaned his forehead against Dean's.

"Maybe….maybe we should wait." he said softly. In reality he didn't want to stop but he wasn't sure he wanted Dean to look at him differently if he saw scars on him, no one wanted someone tainted or disfigured.

Dean immediately stopped, feeling a rush of guilt. He didn't think about how Cas felt about all of this when he was too busy consumed with lust and want. This was Cas's first time, he should have taken it slower. "We can wait it's fine. I'm sorry for rushing you. Did I make you uncomfortable?" He asked concerned. He leaned back slightly, trying to calm down Cas and give him space.

Castiel pulled him back, hugging him. "No. You didn't do anything Dean. It was fine." he explained. "I just don't want you to feel…" he trailed off for a moment, wondering if he should tell Dean but seeing the concern in his eyes made him continue. "I guess I'm a bit...self conscious that you might...feel disgusted about me and other things..." he said softly.

Dean pulled away from the hug to look Cas in the eye, but kept close. "Cas, it's not possible for me to ever be disgusted by you at all." He hooked his finger underneath his chin to stop him from looking down. "I don't care about the bruises or anything else. I just care that it's you." He replied, tightening his arm around Cas.

Castiel looked at Dean, staring for a few moments. He wondered if Dean was saying that just because they were in the moment but looking at him, he saw that Dean was looking at him seriously with sincerity. He felt his stomach flip and his heart squeeze at Dean's words. It made him feel like they really didn't matter. Scars and bruises wanting to be accepted by someone though years of people telling him otherwise. Dean has told him otherwise from what many had filled his mind with for years. They weren't going to just go away but it was a step in the right direction. He sniffled a little, resting his forehead against Dean's.

Castiel took a small breath in "...Polo vasi pil nanaza dazad pi vinem vomil valocila sala sazalopi dazi nonacimas calo nanasa..." he cupped the side of his face, running his thumb across it. "Dazi nanaza calo pil nenipa tal vanem pim sasor pil jori vinam calo namav niman."

Dean smiled slightly, not knowing what Cas had said at all but figuring it sounded reassured. "Not sure what that meant, Blue Eyes, but it sounded good." He said with a slight chuckle, catching Cas's hand and kissing his fingertips lightly.

Castiel looked at Dean with a soft look, taking Dean's hand and flipping it. "You are my light." he started. He traced the words onto his hand, slowly going up his arm as he wrote and told him. "That I have been looking for." he said. "Through the darkness and the scars. The light and my wings to save me." he wrote into Dean's bicep and shoulder. He ran his finger over Dean's collarbone through his shirt, eyes gazing up to his eyes. "From my own hate and self hell." he finished, having his hand resting back on Dean's cheek.

Dean watched Cas's eyes the entire time he traced the words across his body, his light touch leaving warmth on his skin. He took a slow breath as Cas's gaze met his, heart full of an emotion he couldn't quite place. "Cas, I..." He trailed off, trying to find the right words to say but failing. He paused, closing his eyes for a moment and putting his hand over Cas's. He couldn't find the word to say, he slowly opened his eyes again to meet Cas's.

Castiel smiled softly as he rubbed his thumb over Dean's cheek, he leaned into him giving him a kiss. He gently pulled Dean closer and more onto the bed. The earlier feeling of unsettledness was set aside, he felt comfortable and accepted. This was a whole new thing for Castiel, one that he was willing to share and open up with Dean.

Castiel's leg was on either side of Dean, as they settled more onto the bed. Dean leaned into the kiss, following him more onto the bed before breaking off quickly, to really know if this was okay.

"Cas are you sure?" Dean asked, gently touching Cas's cheek. "We can wait, you don't have to do anything just because I want to. Don't push yourself, we can wait…" he reassured him.

"I'm okay Dean...I'm not pushing myself. I want to share this with you." Castiel told him. "You make me feel comfortable." He squeezed Dean's hand.

Dean stared at Cas for a moment before returning the squeeze of his hand and kissing Cas softly. Castiel melted into the kiss, leaning up to Dean. They just kissed for a while, not doing anything but kissing. Their lips were red and swollen by the time they broke apart and Castiel looked at Dean contently.

Castiel touched the hem of Dean's shirt, tracing his fingers on Dean's hip. He felt a little unclothed while Dean was still wearing everything. Dean looked at Cas with a soft look.

"Might as well make it even." Dean said with a small smile, resuming their kiss. He pressed forward, kneeling between Cas's legs and running a hand from his ankle, over the layer of pants, and stopping on the exposed skin just over the waistband.

Castiel eyes roamed over Dean before he kissed him again. He gently touched Dean's chest, he trailed his hand across chest, feeling his skin under his fingers. He tried mapping out everything as he kissed him.

Dean shivered slightly at the feel of Cas against his bare skin. He pressed gently against Cas so that he was laying back on the bed, legs slightly bent. Dean broke off from their kiss to trail down Cas's neck and chest, tongue tracing a circle around his nipple before sucking at the skin. One hand held him up from the bed while the other moved to Cas's hip, his fingertips edging past the waistline of his pants.

Castiel arched into Dean's touch, his eyes squeezed shut as he moaned. The hand that wasn't clutching Dean tangled into the sheets, gripping them. His moan spilled from him, a bit louder than earlier.

Dean felt his arousal growing with every little noise Cas made, his pants getting more and more uncomfortable. He broke off from Cas's skin momentarily to glance down and unfasten each of their buttons before returning his mouth to Cas's skin, sucking on the edge of his collarbone as he tugged the top of his pants down .

Castiel looked at Dean as he did that, feeling anticipation crawling under his skin. He shivered under Dean's touch, wanting to do something for Dean too. He touched the side of Dean's neck, getting his attention to pull him up a little as he kissed his collarbone and bit it. He licked it over, leaving a mark. He did a few more before he pulled Dean down for a kiss, tangling his fingers in his hair and lightly pulling.

Dean moaned into the kiss, his hand skimming across Cas's stomach and chest before nestling into his hair. He pressed their hips together, rocking slightly as he kissed Cas deeply.

Castiel's hips buckled, a burst of pleasure flushed through him. He arched into Dean, gasping into his mouth. The hand in the sheets, tightened. He moaned into Dean's mouth, trying to move his hips into him.

Dean broke off from their kiss, grinning wickedly. If Cas reacted like that already, Dean could hardly wait to get more reactions out of him. The thought spurred him on to pull at Cas's pants, leaning back to tug them completely off. He glanced over Cas lustfully before moving forward again, his hand cupping him as he resumed the kiss.

Castiel looked at Dean after he pulled away for a moment, panting, not able to comprehend why he was grinning but wanted him to kiss him some more. Dean quickly shed him of his clothes and was kissing him again before his mind could react, he groaned into Dean only to do a sharp intake at the new sensation. He gripped Dean's shoulder, hesitantly moving his hips as they kissed again.

Dean swallowed a bit, letting Cas move before pushing down his own jeans. He broke the kiss slightly when he kicked them aside. "Cas...you still okay?" he asked.

Castiel was panting, nodding quickly when Dean asked, moving his hips more into Dean's hand.

Dean kissed him for a moment, letting Cas rock against him before releasing him before slowly sliding his hand underneath Cas's boxers to wrap his hand around his cock, moving his hand in slow strokes. He'd never done this in this sort of way, but at least he already knew what felt good.

Castiel broke the kiss, breathing a little harshly between pants. He gripped Dean's bicep as he untangled his hands from the sheets to bit his finger. He had moaned out different noises, progressively getting a bit louder and breathy. He squeezed his eyes shut, muffling his moans a little by his finger.

Dean sucked at Cas's collar bone, his hips rocking against Cas on their own accord. He released his hold long enough to dispose of what remained of both of their clothes before gently pulling Cas's hand away from his mouth. "I want to hear you." He murmured just outside of his ear, smirk returning as his hand travelled downwards again.

Castiel looked at Dean, completely disheveled, hair sticking out in all different directions, kissed lips, light sweat with uneven breathing, and bites scattered across his neck. "Ah...Dean..." He softly moaned when Dean took his hand away. His eyes trailed downwards, looking over Dean. He was a whole different body structure than himself. He glanced down and his breath hitched a little. "Dean...I...haven't...done /this/...before." He managed out.

Deans eyes roamed over Cas, skipping up to meet his eyes with a slight frown. He already knew Cas had never done this, so why- "Wait, at all?" He asked incredulously, not having realized just how inexperienced he was. Castiel blushed a little having said that, but nodded.

"Then you're gonna enjoy this." Dean replied, changing his plan. He was going to make this worthwhile for Cas. He kissed his way down on Cas's chest, stopping for a few moments just to hear sweet moans come from Cas as he teased his nipples with his tongue before kissing down between his legs. He'd never actually done this to someone, but he knew Cas wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Dean leaned forward and kissed the head of his leaking cock before flicking his tongue against it. He took the head into his mouth and sucked.

Castiel watched Dean for a confused second before he arched, eyes widened as he moaned. "Dean!" There was goose bumps under his skin as his hand scrambled desperately to cling onto something. He found Dean's shoulder and clutched it as the other fisted the sheets.

Cas's reaction encouraged Dean, a spike of arousal shooting to his groin as Cas clutched his shoulder. He moved his hands on either side of Cas's hips, licking the sides of his cock before taking Cas back into his mouth. Castiel's eyes squeezed shut as his lips parted a bit. His hips buckled a little but Dean's hands kept him steady. His back kept an arch as he felt heat pool in his stomach.

Dean's hands tightened against Cas's skin, taking more of him into his mouth as he swallowed. The feeling was strange to him, but the reaction Cas made it worth it. He clenched his thumb in his fist as he started moving steadily up and down, a trick he remembered to prevent him from gagging. Castiel has his head thrown back, moaning mixed with broken pieces of Dean's name. He was panting roughly, pleasure engulfing him.

Dean increased his rhythm, one hand sliding down to match the tempo on himself. He'd brought a condom and even some lube, but at the moment he didn't particularly think about it. He just wanted to make Cas cum, be the cause of his first unraveling.

Castiel was mewling under Dean, hands moving on Dean unsure on what to do with them. His moans got progressively louder, "D-De...D-ean!" He gasped out. "Ah!" He couldn't get out a sentence, just feeling the warm feeling build in his stomach.

Dean sped up, knowing Cas was close. He hummed when he reached the base, sending vibrations up Cas's shaft which made him gasp and cry out. Dean's movements become slightly more erratic as he looked up through his lashes, seeing Cas in such a state. He clutched his hip, feeling the warm tension building in him as well.

Castiel felt it build and build, teetering to overflow. He felt the need to look at Dean, just to see him. He forced himself to open his eyes and looked down, only to have Dean lock eyes with him. He felt his orgasm hit him, crying out in a broken cry. His eyes went out of focus as he arched off the bed, clawing a little at Dean's shoulder. He was breathing heavily and uneven.

Dean felt the cum run on the back of his throat and swallowed quickly, moaning as the sight of Cas orgasming pushed him over the edge. He released him from his mouth as he came into his hand, calling out Cas's name as the pleasure washed over him.

Castiel blinked, panting out, refocusing. He lied pliant and drained in bed. He looked down at Dean, swallowing the lump in his throat. He let go of Dean's shoulder, "Dean..." He said softly after a few moments of calming down.

Dean breathed heavily, crawling up beside Cas to lay against him. He glanced over at his arm, where Cas had been clutching him tightly the whole time and chuckled slightly. "You left a hand print." He murmured.

Castiel ran his fingers across it, "I'm sorry..." He mumbled. He leaned over and kissed his shoulder. He scooted closer to Dean, curling into him. "I don't know how to describe it... but I want to do it again...sometime." He said.

"No, don't apologize." Dean replied, curling his arm around him. "And yeah, I do too." He added with a grin, glad Cas had enjoyed it.

Castiel wrapped his legs into Dean's, "I think that this was much longer than a few minutes." He said softly. He rested his head onto Dean's chest, hearing his heartbeat. "Do you think we should join them?" He asked.

Dean glanced down at him, carding his hand through Cas's hair gently. "We've made them wait this long, I think a couple more minutes won't hurt." He replied, wanting to bask in the warmth a little longer.

Castiel hummed softly, leaning up into Dean's hand. "I think you're right." He mumbled. He felt sated and content. It was nice with Dean being so close.

Dean smiled, playing lightly with his hair. He felt a little drowsy now, but knew they couldn't sleep unless they wanted even more comments when they back. "So that was seriously your first time? You've never done any of that...By yourself?" He asked, still hardly believing someone could go so long without.

Castiel shook his head slightly, "I was told at a young age it was wrong so I just didn't. It never occurred to me about it." He explained. "Obedience is kind of ingrained into me so I never thought of doing it." he explained sheepishly.

"Then it's a good thing you have me to help you rebel." Dean replied with a grin, thumb skirting across his jaw. "Was it worth the wait?"

Castiel smiled at Dean, "It was well worth it. I got you from my waiting and that's worth all the time I've waited." He nuzzled his face against Dean's like an affectionate cat.

Dean chuckled, kissing his cheek softly. He wanted to just lay in bed forever, but knew they should be going down to the others. "Well, are you ready to face them? I'm sure they got plenty of jokes saved up." he sighed.

Castiel nodded, "It's better now than later.I'm just nervous on what they could say, maybe they'll look at us differently." He said sadly, not yet moving.

"Cas….they're our friends and our brothers, they're not going to hate us. I swear." Dean promised him.

Castiel let out a soft breath as he looked at Dean, "You're right…" he said. "They've been really quiet since we left them...maybe they left."

"Hmm, yeah you're right. We should head down soon, then- that makes me nervous. I don't trust them." Dean joked with a chuckle, also not yet moving.

Castiel laughed lightly, kissing Dean's cheek. "If we don't move, we won't move later." He said. He slowly untangled himself from Dean, sitting up. He stretched his arms out and his back, feeling his muscles relaxed and soothed. "I feel good." He smiled at Dean.

"You look good." Dean grinned and winked, watching him before sliding off of the bed. He bent down and grabbed their clothes, piled haphazardly where he'd left them and tossed Cas his clothes

Castiel easily caught his clothes, "Thank you." He chuckled. "I should thank the person who gave me this look and feeling." He said. He slipped the shirt on, covering the few light marks Dean made. His legs still felt a little weak but mostly recovered. He slipped on the other clothes before looking at Dean. "Do you think we should swim with them?" He asked.

Dean hummed, pulling on his jeans. "Well only if you want to, if you don't it's fine. I'll sit with you." He added, tracing over one of the little marks Cas made on his skin before putting his shirt on to cover them. "They can crack jokes or whatever but it was worth it."

Castiel ran a hand through his hair, taming some of it. He smiled sweetly at Dean. "It was." He replied. He got up, letting out a slow breath. He looked at Dean, "Ready?" He asked.

Dean ran his fingers through his hair as well, walking up beside him and taking Cas's hand. "Ready as I'll ever be." He replied with a chuckle, opening the door.

It was clear in the hallways, "I guess they really did leave us." Castiel commented, holding Dean's hand.

Castiel started walking, taking Dean next to him. He led them downstairs and into the pool room where they had said they would be. He heard laughter and splashing of water so he knew they were there. When they opened the door Gabriel had Kevin on his shoulders and Sam had Charlie on his shoulders and they were chicken fighting. Castiel laughed lightly as they slapped each other aimlessly in the air as Sam and Gabriel splashed each other.

Charlie looked over at Dean and Castiel. "Oh the lovebirds came." she said.

Kevin looked over at them before Gabriel dropped him in into the water. Kevin resurfaced and pushed his hair back, "We thought you guys wouldn't come back down." he commented.

Sam put Charlie back down into the water. "We were going to play pranks on you later if you guys were still sleeping." he said.

"We were going to actually cock block you again but that's a low blow." Charlie laughed.

Gabriel looked at Dean and Castiel, touching his chin, "They didn't do it." he deducted.

They all looked at him, "How do you know?" they asked.

"Well one, Cassie is still walking. Taking the first time is a lot to get used to so that's not it. Two, they would have been completely exhausted, yet they are here." he said. "So I'm guessing they did something else in it's place. Probably hardcore make out since they're lips are red." he grinned. "Am I right?"

Castiel blushed a little as a response. They laughed, "Wow, good detective skills Gabriel." Charlie smiled.

Dean argued a brow, admittedly impressed. "That's scarily accurate." He commented.

Sam made a gross face, "Ew gross Dean." he teased.

"Oh shut up Sammy." Dean rolled his eyes good naturedly.

"So what? Are you going to stand there all day or you going to join us?" Gabriel pointed out.

Dean grinned, glancing over at Cas. "What d'you say? Wanna go for a swim?"

Castiel glanced down a bit, fidgeting, "I...Uh...I'm not sure..." he said.

"Aw c'mon Cas. We want you guys to have fun. It's fine, we won't judge." Sam told him.

"I just don't want you guys to think wrong of me...think I'm gross or something." Castiel replied softly.

"Friends don't care what you look like! And we sure as hell don't care if you guys are like shacking up and stuff. Just that you're happy and you don't do that shit in front of us." Charlie told him.

Dean gently reached for Cas's hand, squeezing it to reassure him. "They won't judge you. They're your friends and family." he told him.

"Yeah, we really don't care Cas. You could be ugly and we'd still love you." Charlie laughed. "Come swim with us, it's fun with everyone else being together."

Kevin nodded, "It's fun when there's more people and mostly when you can be yourself." he said before he splashed Charlie.

Sam lightly laughed, looking at Charlie and Kevin fight before looking up at Cas. "if you still don't feel comfortable, it's okay to sit. We won't push you." he said.

Gabriel hummed, "Maybe we'd do a little judging." he teased.

Sam splashed him, "Shut up." he laughed.

Castiel glanced at all of them before nodding a little. "I...I guess swimming would be okay." he agreed. He felt still a bit self conscious and he hoped that they weren't just saying that to him. He hoped that they would accept him, he'd love to be comfortable with them and have them welcome him with open arms.

Charlie grinned, "We can all chicken fight! I am queen. I already beat Kevin and Gabriel multiple times." she said triumphantly.

Gabriel splashed her, "Because Sam is built like a moose and Kevin gets distracted by boobs." he said.

Kevin splashed him back, "Hey! I do not." he protested.

Sam arched a brow, "A Moose?" he asked.

Gabriel laughed, "Yes you do and yes a moose." he replied.

Castiel looked over at Dean, taking his hand and leading him over to a room where they have spare clothes and swimsuits. "You can choose one if you don't have one." he said.

Dean laughed, agreeing that Sam was definitely a moose before following Cas. "Do you have enough rooms?" He teased, grabbing a suit that looked the right size.

Castiel laughed a little, "We have more than enough or needed. I sometimes find rooms that I didn't even know we had." He said. He chose a pair, looking at Dean. "You may change here if you would like." He told him, before closing the door. He slowly pulled off his shirt, fingering one of Dean's small marks.

Dean looked over at Cas and arched a brow, admiring his handiwork. "Hickies. They'll be there for a little while but since they aren't really that big or deep, probably a day or two." He replied with a grin, pulling off his shirt as well. He glanced down at himself, seeing small bites and light marks from Cas as well. "Well, you can't really tell unless you get really close." he laughed.

Castiel blushed a little, nodding. He didn't think about the marks then or what he was doing but seeing them on Dean's skin make him flustered. He was unbuttoning his pants, hooking his fingers on the hem and shedding of them. He slipped off the underwear and changed into his swimsuit. He picked up his clothes and folded them, looking over at Dean.

Dean chuckled, shedding his jeans and changing into the swim trunks. "I told you that they'd be okay with it. They won't judge you Cas, any of us." he told Cas as he gathered his clothes. "And they want us to be happy, I guess." He added, tossing his clothes in a little pile.

"It's oddly nice, I never had a group of friends before." Castiel replied. He reached over and grabbed two towels. He looked at Dean to make sure he was done before he opened the door. Castiel held the towels to his chest and clothes so his front as they stepped out.

Everyone was just floating around and laughing. When Dean and Cas came out, everyone slowly turned to look at them.

Charlie looked over at them letting out a wolf whistle. "I knew you guys were gossip for more than just your faces. Too bad you guys are gay for each other." She laughed.

Gabriel sat up in the water, "Gossip? What is this I hear?" He teased.

Castiel huffed, "Shut up Gabriel..." He said. He set their stuff down on a chair.

"So are like the bruises gone?" Kevin asked.

"Which one?" Castiel asked, glancing over at Kevin, hoping he didn't have any as he glanced down at himself.

"Any of them." Kevin asked.

"No...they healed and I took care of them." Castiel answered quietly. He felt self conscious again, what if they saw his scars? Will they accept him still or will they judge him? Castiel picked up his shirt and put it back on.

Charlie frowned a little before she spoke up, "It's okay! You have us now! Dean to be your knight and we can be his army." She laughed. "Though preferably I would be a queen." She said.

Dean chuckled. "You can be the queen of the army." He offered, stepping slightly closer to Cas. It was nice to know that he had more back up, people who cared and wanted to keep him safe. It didn't make Dean any less protective, of course, but it was comforting to know.

"You okay?" Dean asked softly.

Castiel nodded, "Just a little self conscious…" he responded.

"It's okay, take all the time you want. You don't have to take off your shirt if you don't want to." Dean reassured him.

Castiel glanced over at Dean before he smiled little, wanting them to go swim. "C'mon Knight, let's go." He said, taking Dean's hand and going to the water.

Sam looked at Gabriel and exchanged a look. Castiel had Dean's attention so he didn't notice Sam getting out of the pool and going behind him. Gabriel followed in suit, moving quickly and as soon as Dean turned around they picked him up, giving him a few moments to struggle and hold his breath and the him into the pool, laughing. Castiel was surprised, a little worried but laughed a little, seeing him resurface and he felt relief.

Dean spluttered, wiping water out of his eyes. "Oh, it's on." He warned with a grin, splashing all three of them with a wave of water and laughing.

Castiel pouted slightly after getting splashed, he got water from his chest down, making the shirt stick to him. "I didn't even do anything." he replied.

Gabriel laughed, before pushing Castiel into the pool. "No, but it's still fun." he said.

Castiel resurfaced in the water, wiping back his hair. He glared lightly at Gabriel, "You're mean." he said.

Gabriel grinned, "Hellooo~ Brother." he gestured to himself. "It's a brother thing and also...I'm a Trickster." he said, before jumping into the pool by them to make a splash.

Castiel wiped his face again, laughing a little. Sam dived back into the pool staying under and swimming toward Dean as Gabriel resurfaced. Gabriel wiped his face and looked underwater and started making the song to Jaws.

"Oh great, the great white moose is after me." Dean laughed, looking down in the water in an attempt to see where Sam was. "If you dunk me I will dunk you back so hard." He warned with a grin, though he knew Sam couldn't hear him.

Sam swam out of the water and flopped onto Dean, pushing them back into the water. He resurfaced first, pushing his hair back. He grinned as Dean resurfaced, he slowly swam backwards with a grin on his face. Kevin stayed clear of all the water fighting, just floating around. Charlie swam over to Castiel who was just floating in place.

"So you okay? Having fun?" she asked.

Castiel looked over her and smiled a little, "Yes I am. I haven't enjoyed myself for a long time nor have had friends over before. Or friends at all for that matter..." he replied.

Charlie smiled, "Things changed a lot when you met Dean huh?" she watched at Dean and Sam went at it and laughed a little.

Castiel watched Dean with affection, "Yes it has. Things just seem so much brighter around him, it easy to get caught in his pace." he said.

Charlie looked at him, before she saw Dean swimming back over. "Mr. Knight is coming back to steal his boyfriend. Well talk more later." she laughed softly before swimming away. Castiel looked at her before watching Dean come back.

"Sam's too big, he wasn't supposed to outgrow me." Dean complained as he swam over after a few failed attempts to dunk his brother. He glanced at where Charlie was swimming away, then stopped to tread water beside Cas.

Castiel chuckled, "Yes I was surprised on how tall Sam was when I first met him." he smiled a little at Dean. "I was expecting him to be like a little brother, shorter." he said.

Dean laughed a little, brushing back his hair. "He's still my little brother despite the height." he said.

Castiel smiled before he swam closer, staring at Dean's face. Dean's eyes were back to the green apple color, he examined Dean's face a little before raising a hand out and stroking his cheek. He ran his thumb over his freckles, "You have such amazing eyes. They constantly change colors and it's always beautiful to look at." he said. He touched Dean's wet hair, smiling a little at the texture and feeling the water droplets fall. "Hello Dean." he smiled.

Dean blinked, unaccustomed to being studied and looked at the way Cas was. He seems to like what he saw, however, so Dean smiled in response. "Hey, Cas." He replied, eyes tracing the curve of his lips, along his cheek, and meeting his eyes again.

They kind of held that look for a few moments before the others interrupted them. "Okay lovebirds, we get it. Enough with the eye sex." Gabriel teased. "Let's play games." he grinned.

"What are we playing?" Kevin asked.

"Dunno, we can play marco polo, tag, pool ball, chicken fights, contests." he listed.

"Contests?" Sam asked.

"Yeah you know like biggest splash, coolest enter into the pool, nicest body." Gabriel waggled his eyebrows at the end, laughing. "So anyone?" he asked.

"Contests, huh? That sounds cool." Dean replied, breaking eye contact with Cas to glance over at Gabriel. "Well, we all know who'd win nicest body." He said with only partially fake cockiness, winking with a grin.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Yeah uh huh. We wouldn't have a judge anyways."

"Biggest splash?" Sam offered.

"Okay fine Moose, you judge since you're the biggest." Gabriel replied.

Sam rolled his eyes, "Fine. Make it cool though, I don't want to just see jumping in." he laughed.

Gabriel got out of the pool, "Okay, fine. Who wants to do this? Actually nonnegotiable, everyone is going." he declared. Charlie and Kevin climbed out of the pool and walked to the deep end.

Castiel looked at Dean, "I guess no harm in playing." he said.

"Yeah, especially winning." Dean replied with a laugh, swimming to the edge before pulling himself out of the pool and offering his hand to Cas. "Gabriel, wanna do the honor of going first?" Castiel took his hand and pulled himself out. They were last in line from Gabriel.

Gabriel grinned, "Of course, but first. Cue music! Everything is cooler with music." he said. Music started playing and everyone but Castiel had a different sort of emotion to that. Gabriel shrugged, "Voice activation. Money can be spent on useless things." he laughed.

Sam waited at the end of the pool, "Ready whenever." he said.

Gabriel danced to the music, "Alright!" he said. He stood near the edge of the pool before turning and doing a backflip cannon ball in. He resurfaced, shaking out his hair. "Next."

Charlie arched a brow, "Yeah I can't do flips." she laughed. "Oh well." She did a cute little beach dance before running and jumping into the pool with a normal cannon ball.

Kevin sighed, "This is what I get myself into. Do we even get prizes?" he laughed.

Gabriel shrugged, "Maybe." he said.

Kevin hummed before he shrugged, "Whatever." he ran and jumped, making a star jump before tucking himself in and landing. "Dean, your turn." Kevin said as he resurfaced. So far Gabriel made the biggest splash and best entrance.

Dean walked over, not having any idea what he was going to do until Eye of the Tiger started playing over the speakers. He paused for a moment before grinning widely, miming out the guitar and drums and mouthing the words, doing a cannonball into the pool right at the end of the chorus. He resurfaced laughing, turning to look over at Cas.

Castiel had a hand over his mouth, laughing through it. Everyone was laughing a little at how into it Dean was. Castiel was the last one, so why not put his best foot forward? He took a little running start before he did a twisting layout into a tuck. He resurfaced and brushed his hair back. Kevin's, Charlie's, and Sam's jaw was dropped.

Gabriel tsked, "I forgot that you still do the flips and everything. Show off." he grumbled.

"Then it was wrong of you to offer such a contest." said Castiel. He swam over to Dean, looking at him kind of amused. "That was a very nice solo." he commented.

"And I thought you weren't a show off." Dean joked with a smile. "But really, that was awesome. Pretty obvious that you won best enter acne, cause you definitely earned it." He said, feeling some pride over how impressed everyone was with Cas.

Castiel laughed a little, "I don't know, your entrance was pretty amazing." he said.

Sam looked over at them, "Well for biggest splash it would be Dean for entrance it would be you." he said.

Castiel smiled at Sam before looking at Dean, "I guess we both win then." he said.

Charlie looked over at Castiel, "Dude, how did you even do that? I thought you were going to like break your neck or something." she said.

Castiel looked over at her, "Practice. I do a lot of flips." he said.

Gabriel nodded, "Mr. Show off over here is a gymnast and does flips and is flexible to the boot." he told them.

Castiel pressed his lips together, not wanting to tell them that he was but now that Gabriel had he had to see their reactions. Everyone was kind of speechless for a second so Castiel sank into the water a little.

"That's awesome!" They exclaimed. "What else can you do? How flexible are you? Can you put your leg behind your head?" The spit fired questioned and Castiel's eyes widened a bit.

Dean wrapped his arm around Cas reassuringly, breaking into a grin when they started all asking questions. "Whoa, whoa, one at a time guys." He chuckled, glancing down at Cas. "I've seen some of the stuff he can do, it's seriously insane. The first time he bent over backwards I thought he'd snapped his spine." He said proudly.

Charlie laughed a little, "Why did he have to bend over backwards Dean? Is there something you want to say?" she arched a brow with a devious look.

Sam looked at Castiel, "So what is considered flexible for you? Like the difficulties of flips you can do?" he asked.

Castiel floated back up a bit to reply, "I am considered more than average flexible and I excel at flipping. I am a little above the above average group." he said.

"Wow that's awesome." Sam replied.

Dean rolled his eyes at Charlie and laughed. "He was changing a CD!"

'While we were making out.' He added silently, grinning as he turned to Sam and Cas. "You should've seen him at the gym, flipping and flying through the air like it was nothing." He said, more than happy to brag about Cas.

Castiel blushed a little, looking bashful. He touched Dean's hand that was around him and glanced up at Dean. "I think they get it Dean. Thank you."

Charlie placed a hand over her heart, "That's so cute." she said. "Makes me want to wrap you up and bring you home." she joked.

Gabriel hummed, laying back in the water and just floating. "Leaving the lovebird's area now." he said with a laugh before swimming away.

The others followed after him, just relaxing in the water. The music was still playing so everyone was just floating around, enjoying the company.

Dean chuckled, leaning over to kiss Cas's temple. "What can I say, I like bragging about you." He replied, feeling content and relaxed. He'd never imagined he'd be floating in a pool with so many people he'd come to care about, but there was nowhere else he'd rather be or anyone else he'd rather be with.

Castiel laughed softly, "I can tell." he smiled.

Castiel put his arms around Dean's shoulder, lightly pulling to get him to follow him, they were just lightly floating around, swimming at a slow pace. He slowly pulled Dean to go underwater with him for a few moments. Dean opened his eyes underwater to see Cas looking back at him. Castiel gently brushed back his hair and kissed Dean before they laughed and it started to bubble around them and they resurfaced with smiles.

Gabriel sat up in the water, "Okay, we should do something else. We should go play some type of game in the living room and ordering more food!" He said.

Castiel hummed softly, "I can make something if you would like." he offered, breaking eye contact with Dean to look at the group. Dean had his hands draped over his waist as they float, happy to just have Cas so close.

Gabriel looked at him, "Okay, well I guess I can leave you and Dean in charge of that." he chuckled before pulling himself out of the water. They kind of slowly all got out of the water, having Dean and Castiel left. They were the last to get out.

"Sounds good to me, I'm always up for food." Dean chuckled as he led the way out of the pool, shaking his hair out like a dog with a laugh. He grabbed their towels, handing one to Cas and staying near him as they dried off. Every now and then their skin would brush against each other in passing, a light contact of their arms or hands.

Castiel smiled softly, enjoying the light brushes of skin. Gabriel turned off the music before they left and went into the living room with everyone in trail. He hummed, "Board games or video games?" He asked. Castiel and Dean were the last one in, laughing together as they gently nudged arms.

Sam shrugged, "Anything is fine really, we could watch movies too." He offered.

Charlie grinned, "We could karaoke." She offered, seeing the machine.

Gabriel laughed, "We could do all of these." He said.

Castiel looked at the group, "Well decide, I'm going to be making food accordingly." He said.

"Everything sounds good to me. We should just make food for everything." Dean replied with a laugh. "But I dunno if you actually want to hear my karaoke." He joked.

"He sings beautifully, don't let him tell you otherwise." Castiel supplied.

Charlie arched a brow, "Karaoke it is then! I have to hear this." She said, she went over to the machine and pressed a few buttons and turned in the tv. She grabbed two microphones and tapped them to see if they work. A tap came up through the speakers around them. She found the book of songs before grinning. She went over to Dean and put a microphone in his hand,

"Your time to shine Winchester." She smirked and pressed into the machine the Eye the Tiger. "Time to actually do your performance." She said.

"Oh, no, really, I-" Dean protested until the opening chords came on, immediately getting into it. He strummed his leg as an air guitar and hit at the air like drumming, singing along to the words he already knew. He managed to not even crack a smile until the song was finished, when he bristled out laughing.

Charlie broke out into a grin and clapped Dean on the shoulder, "If I wasn't into girls I would be swooning. Seriously. You are just a pretty package into one." she laughed.

Kevin smiled a little, "You could totally sing, why say you couldn't?" he said.

Sam chuckled, "He's more of a shower singer." he replied.

Gabriel grinned, "Quickest way to a person's heart besides their stomach is to serenade someone." he said.

Castiel smiled at Dean, seeing him laugh. "You guys may continue singing. I'm going to go cook then." he said.

Dean chuckled. "Yeah, easier to show you." He replied, glancing at Cas. "You want some help?" He offered, knowing he wouldn't actually be much help but he could keep him company.

Castiel looked over at Dean, "You're welcome to stay here if you want but I don't mind the company." he smiled. He turned to walk to the kitchen before Charlie said something, "We're saving you a song Castiel! You have to sing too if everyone else is."

Castiel laughed a little, "I think not. For one, I'm not going to be in this room while you guys are so how will I enjoy that everyone has sung? Another thing is, I don't think you guys would want to hear me sing." he said before he walked toward the kitchen.

"Yes we do!" she called after.

Dean followed behind him. "We definitely want to hear you sing." He said as he walked up beside him. "Besides, you got to hear me sing like three times now. Only fair." He said.

Castiel laughed, glancing over to Dean. "Maybe. We'll see." he replied as they walked into the kitchen.

Castiel hummed, thinking what kind of food would be good for this. 'Finger foods.' He glanced around, knowing they had chips from Gabriel. He thought of little sandwiches, potato skins, and some types of dips. He could make sweets too, deciding that Gabriel still kind of deserved some. He thought maybe brownies. He went around the kitchen gathering things and setting them onto a table and looking at Dean.

"Do you want to help me cut some things?" he asked.

"Of course, I'm your official cutting assistant." Dean replied with a laugh, looking over all the ingredients Cas was getting out. He snagged a couple of chips as he watched Cas move around the kitchen.

Castiel glanced back at Dean when he heard a crunch sound, "Don't eat all of those, we might have to go on a store run if you do." he chuckled as he got out potatoes and gave them to Dean. He grabbed some vegetables to make pico de gallo.

He looked at Dean, "So do you think we should make brownies?" he asked.

"Mmf, definitely." Dean replied as he swallowed the mouthful of chips. "Is that even a real question?" He joked, grabbing a knife and cutting board from where he remembered from last time and starting to slice the potatoes.

Castiel chuckled, "Okay." he said.

Castiel had another cutting board and quickly diced the tomatoes and put them in a bowl. He cut onions and a few jalapenos and Serrano peppers and put them in. Then he grabbed some salt, lime, and salanchro. He squeezed in the lime, quick pinch of salt and the leaves of the salanchro and he was done. He mixed it around and gave it to Dean. "Now you can have a dip or you can take it out to the others so they don't have to wait." he said.

"Well I gotta make sure it's up to the Castiel standard." Dean replied eagerly, grabbing a chip and scooping up a good glob of it. He nodded and hummed, licking a piece that had fallen on his lip. "Yup, delicious. Let me make sure it wasn't just that part though." He grinned, grabbing another chip and dip it in.

Castiel laughed, leaning over and bit the dipped chip from Dean. He took the rest of the chip and ate it. He licked his thumb after, "It tastes fine. So you can go share." he said. He started gathering different ingredients to make brownies as he left Dean to cut the potatoes. He figured sandwiches would be easy to make so no rush on those.

Dean pretended to pout as Cas stole his chip before laughing and picking them up. He walked it over to the other room, coming in towards the end of someone's song. He set the chips and pico de gallo down, pausing to hear the end before he went back.

Charlie was the one singing and she was doing the silly dancing to a Britney Spears song. She looked up at Dean as he came in and said thank you. They all like picked up a chip and ate some as they laughed. Castiel had made the wet batter and was mixing in the dry one as Dean came back, "Who was singing?" he chuckled, hearing some voices through the door when Dean opened it.

"Charlie. She was going full on Britney in there." Dean chuckled, walking over to cut the potatoes but getting distracted by Cas mixing the batter. It looked fantastic.

"So when you're done stirring, will the spoon need to be licked?" He asked with a falsely innocent smile.

Castiel laughed, "Actually I might, seeing as we don't want any batter to go to waste." he glanced at Dean, smiling. He mixed it up the batter til there was not any white powder around, he left more than he usually did on the spatula and handed it to Dean after he finished cutting.

"I'll trade you for those potatoes." he chuckled.

Dean finished up the potatoes quickly, grinning as he slid them over, taking the spatula and licking the back of it, succeeding in smearing chocolate across his mouth. "Mmm... I haven't had brownie batter since I was a kid, when my mom used to bake." He told Cas, not thinking of what he'd just said.

Castiel looked at Dean, "Your mom used to bake brownies for you?" He asked, turning his attention to him as he poured it into a pan.

Dean glanced up from the spatula mid lick. "Yeah, she loved baking." He said after a slight hesitation, licking his lips. "She liked cooking too, I think, but baking was her favorite."

Castiel used a spoon to even out the sheet. He looked up at Dean, "She must have baked really good sweets. Nothing compares to a mother's cooking." He smiled a little before he slid the sheet into the oven. He looked back at Dean, "What was she like?" He asked. He wasn't sure how well Dean would talk about it, but he wouldn't push if he didn't answer.

"I don't remember a whole lot about her." Dean began. He'd normally leave it at that and whoever was asking would stop, but he glanced up at Cas and continued. "She used to sing Sammy and me to sleep and tell us that angels were watching us." He smiled slightly at the memory, glancing back up at Cas.

Castiel smiled softly at him, "What song did she used to sing to you?" He asked. His mother was the one who forced him into tutoring and classes so he didn't have very fond memories of her.

"Carry On Wayward Son, most of the time." Dean replied with a soft smile. "She'd sing it like a lullaby, though." He said, realizing he'd never told anyone about that. Sam might not even remember.

Castiel hummed, nodding a little. He knew some of the words to the song, "Carry on my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest." He sang softly in a slow tone. "Don't you cry no more." He glanced at Dean as he stopped. "I don't know much after that but I know the song." He smiled a little.

Dean smiled, holding the spatula off to the side so that he could lean over and press a kiss to Cas's lips. "That's the main part that matters anyway." He said with a slight grin.

Castiel smiled a little before he cupped Dean's cheek and licked some chocolate off his lips. He pulled back with a smile, "I think I just made it fair for us." he said stroked his thumb across Dean's cheek before pulling away and taking the potatoes to cook. He found a pan and let it heat up on the stove so he could cook them.

Dean turned back to the spatula, giving it a few final licks while he watched Cas with the potatoes. "What're those for by the way?" He asked.

"Potato skins. It's filling and a food you can eat with your hands." He said as he cooked them. "I'm not putting anything on them except seasoning to let everyone choose what they put on it." He said. He looked back at Dean, "Do you want to help me make sandwiches?" He asked.

"Awesome, I love potato skins." Dean replied, dropping the spatula in the sink and going over to Cas. "Sure, I'm always game to help." He added with a smile.

Castiel smiled, "Well you are a great help and I appreciate it." he said. "Also it's nice to have company." he added. He finished cooking what he made and looked over at Dean. "Okay. We finish these and then we're done."

"And then we eat." Dean added with a grin, pulling out some bread and starting to make them up. "You've got a nice voice by the way. You sure you don't want to karaoke?"

Castiel laughed a little, "No. I get nervous in front of people and I never had to do anything in front of a group of people who knows me personally so I feel like I would be even more nervous than I would be in front of people who don't know me." he replied. He stood next to Dean and started helping make these sandwiches, "Maybe, it might be nice." he said. "But I'm a comfortable with just you hearing." he smiled.

"You don't have to sing in front of them-I don't mind being the only one to hear." Dean replied, glancing over at him with a smile before looking back down at the sandwiches. "But even if you completely messed up, they'd still like you the same."

Castiel looked at Dean, before he looked down. "I suppose you are right, there's nothing to be worried about. They haven't treated my wrongly for being a gymnast." He said. He stepped away to turn off the stove, everything was done. Then right on time the oven went off. He put on a mitt and took them out and put it on a cooling rack. He cut them out and put them into a plate, they were gooey on the inside but firm enough to hold. He smiled a little, "Okay we can go back now." He said.

"If anything, I think they thought it was cool." Dean replied. He grinned, grabbing the sandwiches and potatoes. "This all looks awesome, and I know it is." He said. "We're lucky you like cooking." He said to him, walking towards the room with the others.

Sam was laughing at Gabriel who was singing very seriously at a ridiculous song. It was really stoic and monotone though the song was for children. Kevin was laughing too, sitting on the couch. Charlie was trying to make Gabriel laugh but it didn't work.

Kevin looked up as they came back in with a chip in his mouth. "Oh you guys are done already? I thought you guys were cooking." He said.

Castiel nodded holding the plate of brownies, "We did but just simple foods." He said.

Sam sighed after the song was finished, "Do you guys have something to drink?" He asked.

Castiel nodded, "I could get you something if you want." He offered.

Sam shook his head, "Just directions to your kitchen. You don't really need to serve us, just relax." He said as he got up and walked the way they came. "Anyone want something before I go?" Sam asked.

"Juice or water." Charlie replied. "Thanks." She smiled.

"Soda if you can, doesn't matter." Kevin told him.

Gabriel shrugged, "I can get it when I get thirsty." He said.

Sam looked at Dean and Castiel. "For you guys?" He asked.

"Water will be fine, thank you." Castiel responded.

Dean grinned as he watched them, setting the food on the table. He laughed as Gabriel finished and turned to Sam. "Some soda or water'd good. Thanks Sammy." He replied as he sat down.

Sam nodded to go through the kitchen for where they put the soda. Gabriel popped up in front of Castiel. "Can I have one? Please? Please? Pretty please?" He asked with puppy eyes.

"I never understood why the physical appearance of a word made you more likely to give in." Castiel replied with an arched brow. He stared at Gabriel who had his hands clasped and was pouting. "Okay..." Castiel sighed.

Gabriel was about to snatch the plate but Castiel put a finger up in his face, "Don't eat it all." He said.

Gabriel nodded, taking the plate as Castiel slowly handed it over. He took a big bite of it, groaning. "Oh sugar. How have I missed you." He said as he chewed.

Charlie laughed, "Have you gotten cavities?" She asked.

Gabriel shook his head, "Nope. It surprises me and the dentist." He grinned.

Charlie laughed a bit more, "Thank you guys for the food." She said.

Castiel nodded, "You're welcome."

Kevin nodded, "Yeah thanks, it's really good." He praised.

Sam came back in with different things in his arm, he put them all down in the table, "So who's going to sing?" He asked.

Dean laughed a little uncomfortably at how cozy Gabriel was getting with the brownies. He reached over and grabbed a soda, glancing over at Cas. "Did you want to?" He offered, gesturing to the microphone. He didn't want to make Cas nervous, but he didn't see why he shouldn't be able to sing if he wanted to.

Castiel looked a bit hesitant before he picked up the microphone, "One song couldn't hurt." He said.

"That's the spirit!" Charlie grinned, "Any song?" She asked.

Castiel nodded a little, feeling a bit nervous. Charlie flipped through the book, "Oh that's cute. Let's play this song." She said as she pushed it in. "A thousand years by Christina Perri. It's a nice song." She said. Castiel looked at Dean for some reassurance before the song started.

Dean grinned, glad Cas had decided to take a chance. He smiled reassuringly, giving him a thumbs up in encouragement. He knew that no one would judge Cas messed up, but he doubted he would.

Castiel nodded a little before looking at the words of the song. He started softly, trying to get to know the song but after he got over the small nervousness he got to be a bit louder. He got the song down once it came to the chorus, glancing at Dean as he read the words. He smiled a little, before turning back to the tv and finishing. Castiel let a breath out and the room was kind of quiet. "I'm done..." Castiel said softly.

Charlie just started at him, "I'm seriously starting to wonder if you are a unicorn." She said.

Dean watched him with wide eyes, completely absorbed with watching him. He smiled slightly when Cas glanced up at him and grinned at Charlie's comment. "Yeah, he definitely is." He said to her without looking away from Cas. "That was fantastic. Seriously."

Castiel smiled at Dean, looking back at him. "Thank you Dean. Your performance earlier was really great as well." he said. "So you think I'm some sort of mythical creature with a horn on its head?" he joked a little.

"Well I can still hardly believe you exist." Dean said with a grin, knowing how corny it sounded.

Charlie hummed, "We should play board games now, what board games should we play?" she asked.

"We have everything basically, card games, board games, video games, you name it." Gabriel replied.

Sam laughed a little, "Twister." he said as a joke.

"Oh! We could totally do that!" Gabriel grinned before going and grabbing it. "Castiel can't play, against the rules." he said.

Castiel laughed a little not breaking looks with Dean yet as he stepped closer and caught some of Dean's fingers. "There is no rule for that." he said.

Gabriel stuck his tongue out that he know they could see with their peripherals, "Yeah huh. Your flexibility is unfair." he said.

"Twister, huh? With all of us? That's gonna be interesting." Dean chuckled, playing Cas's fingers a little.

Castiel smiled, always finding it endearing when Dean became a bit corny. He tipped his head a little, looking at Dean softly. "I'll take you hardly believing my existence to be a compliment." he chuckled a little.

Gabriel nodded, "Anything bordering disaster is always fun." he smirked.

Gabriel opened the box and opened up the mat. There were little velcro pads on the bottom of the mat and some other velcro pads in the box to keep the mat from moving. Gabriel got it down and put the spinner down a little away from the mat to let Castiel spin. Gabriel rubbed his hands together, "You know whoever wins should spin next round and Castiel has to play. I wonder if he can actually win with all of us smooshing him." he said.

Sam laughed a little as he drank a bit more of his water, "I think this should be a fast game." he said.

Charlie shrugged, "We'll see. We might have one of those easy crumbles, mostly if Sam collapses on us, that's like immediate game over." she said.

Kevin chuckled, "Oh this isn't going to be fun." he said.

Castiel raised Dean's hand and kissed his fingertips. "Go play, I think it's starting." he said.

Dean smiled at Cas giving his hand a slight squeeze before releasing his grip and walking over to join the others. "Just try not to kill anyone if you fall, Sam." He said with a laugh, looking over the playing mat.

"You guys are saying that like I'm fat." Sam rolled his eyes.

"You are fat. You're a moose." Gabriel snickered.

"Yeah like Mister I probably going to go into a sugar coma. With all that sugar, you're probably going to get fat." Sam retorted.

"Nuh uh." Gabriel stuck his tongue out.

"C'mon children, no fighting unless it's over who's winning." Charlie smirked.

Kevin looked at Castiel, "Just get it started." He said.

Castiel nodded, spinning the first move. "Green, left foot." He said.

They all put their foot down. 5 minutes later they were all tangled in sorts. "Red, right hand." Castiel chuckled, looking from the spinning wheel to them.

Kevin put his hand down. "Okay, which one of you guys keep touching my butt?" He sighed.

Charlie laughed, "Sorry, your butt is in my way. It's better than some of us who's getting the crotch shot." She said. Gabriel spoke up, "Well crotch nothing, I'm like breaking limbs here! Cassie spin!" He said.

Castiel spun it again. "Left foot yellow." He said.

Dean stretched his foot across with great effort. "Yeah well I'm pretty sure half of you are laying on me, so when I go down you're coming down with me." He said, wobbling slightly and knowing that he probably wouldn't last much longer.

Castiel laughed lightly at them, spinning again so they wouldn't have to wait. "Left hand blue." He said.

They were just a mess of limbs. Kevin was on the farthest end so he toppled first. He sighed, "Finally!" He crawled out from them.

Charlie was a little unstable from Kevin falling but kept still. Kevin sat down next to Castiel with a heave. "Can I spin?" He asked. Castiel nodded, putting it between them. "Uhh, right hand green." He said.

Sam was the next to go taking Charlie with him. He laughed when Charlie punched him. "Dammit! You and your moose self!" She laughed. "I was going to win!" She complained.

Sam shrugged, "Sorry, next round you can." He said as they settled near Castiel.

Castiel smiled a little and offered them the spinner. It was just Dean and Gabriel. "Left foot blue." Sam told them. Gabriel went to great lengths to make this weird for Dean, putting his leg across from Dean.

Charlie laughed, "Oh my god." She said. "Left hand yellow." She said next.

Dean smirked, knowing what Gabriel was trying to do. He reached over him to put his hand on yellow, partially resting across him. "You're not gonna get me out that easy, chuckles." He warned.

Gabriel grinned, "No harm in trying." He slid his arm across Dean, straightening out some of his posture.

Castiel tilted his head a little, "You called me that on the first day. Is that supposed to be an insult, though you are saying we are laughing?" He asked.

Sam arched a brow, spinning for him, "Left foot yellow." He said.

Kevin spun right after, "Right hand yellow." He said.

"It's more of a-" Dean began as he slid his foot over. "A joke, I guess." He finished as he attempted to move his hand and falling with an "Oof!"

Gabriel grinned, "Aw yeah! Champ!" he cheered standing up.

Castiel laughed a little, moving over to Dean, who still had his limbs twisted and such. He looked down at Dean with a smile, "A joke hmm? Are you saying I was a joke to you when we first met?" he asked.

Gabriel was doing a little victory dance before he grabbed another brownie. "Let's not play this again, I'm getting too old for this and we might break some limbs." he said.

Charlie hummed before an idea came to her, "Don't people play games that need a lot of people like truth or dare, would you rather, never have I ever, you know those types of games." she offered.

Sam arched a brow, "Those games can get pretty personal and awkward really fast." he said.

Gabriel grinned, "Perfect. Who wants to chose what we do?" he asked.

Dean laughed, propping himself up on an elbow and resting his head in his hand, still laying where he'd fallen. "Of course not, Blue Eyes, but I did think it was kind of funny how serious you were.." He replied, remembering how Cas wouldn't even look at him at first, let alone talk to him. "Ooh, ooh, truth or dare!" Dean piped up to the others, grinning.

Castiel laughed lightly, kissing Dean's nose. "You called me Blue Eyes because you didn't know my name, only to find out through the teacher." he smiled. "I wasn't serious. I was just nervous and I didn't want to talk to anyone." he replied.

Gabriel grinned, "Alright, truth or dare huh?" he said.

Gabriel picked up the mat and quickly put everything back and plopped down on the ground. Everyone slowly made their way over, sitting down in a circle. They waited for Dean and Castiel to stop having their love moment to join them.

Gabriel rubbed his hand together, explaining while they slowly came over. "Okay, since I won that I get to chose first." he said. "But first, are we playing the censored version or can we go all out?" he asked deviously.

Dean sat up, staying next to Cas and arching a brow at Gabriel. "Hmm, I dunno how much I trust you with dares." He joked. "But uncensored is more fun. To a certain point." He said with a grin. "Just don't scar anyone."

They were all in a circle, looking at Gabriel. "But scarring people is always fun." he snickered.

Castiel deadpanned, "I turned out so well haven't I?" he said sarcastically.

Gabriel laughed, "Now I can get a reaction out of you, you can't get out of this this time Cassie." he smirked. "Hmmm who should I chose? Well let's just start with Dean. Dean, truth or dare?" he asked.

Dean grinned. Of course Gabriel would pick him. "Well, I guess I gotta go dare." He replied, since he rarely chose truth in games like these.

"I dare you to take a shot of habanero sauce." Gabriel grinned.

Sam eyes widened, "Dude why would you even do that. That's like right from the start." he said.

"He's trying to give Dean explosive diarrhea." Charlie laughed.

"Are you sure you even want to go through with that?" Kevin asked. "We just started." he said.

"No, the dare's been dared. I'm not backing out." Dean replied. There had to some honor in truth or dare after all. "Cas, mind getting the sauce? And Gabriel, you're gonna pay for this when it's your turn." He added with a smirk.

Castiel nodded and got up, going into the kitchen. Gabriel smirked, "I'll await it Winchester, but remember you have Cassie to dare or ask something about, he is a man of his word too. You can get aaaaaaanything you want from him." he snickered.

Castiel came back with a little tray with a glass of milk on it, a little container of sugar, a spoon, and a shot glass filled to almost the top. He set down the tray on the table and handed Dean the shot glass.

Sam looked confused about the small container, "Is that...sugar?" he asked.

Castiel nodded, "Sugar stops the burning sensation." he said. He looked at Dean with a slightly worried face.

Dean arched a brow at Gabriel before turning to Cas as he reentered. "Awesome, thanks. I'll probably need it." He said, gesturing to the sugar and milk. He set them up, ready to grab as soon as he'd had the hot sauce. "Okay. Here I go." He held the shot glass for a moment, mentally preparing himself, and staring it down as if that would make it less spicy. "Bottoms up." He said, flashing an uncertain grin at Cas before downing it quickly. "Ahhhh, ahhhhh!" he breathed, fanning at his mouth as he grabbed a spoonful of sugar and downed most of the milk.

Gabriel was grabbing his sides, kicking his legs as he was laughing. "Oh my god!" he laughed.

Charlie was laughing too on how quickly Dean's face lit up after he downed the shot. Kevin winced a little at the thought of drinking that. Sam chuckled, arching a brow at how this is going to affect Dean later. Castiel rubbed Dean's back in soothing circles as he finished the milk. "Do you need more milk?" he asked.

Gabriel laughed a little harder. "D-Dean can handle it." he giggled out.

Dean coughed, his eyes watering slightly. "No, I'm good, I'm good. But that's not gonna be fun later." He choked out, rubbing his hand over his reddened face. "I can't believe I just did that." He added, breaking into a grin and chuckling, blinking away the extra moisture in his eyes. "Ugh. Okay, who's next, I need a distraction. Cas, truth or dare?" He asked, turning to look over at him.

Castiel looked at Dean, looking at his red face and thought against doing a dare. "Truth." he replied. He wasn't sure what Dean would come up with but it couldn't be that bad to drinking a shot of habanero sauce. He gathered the cup and spoon and put it back on the tray and pushed it aside.

"Hmmm." Dean hummed, trying to come up with a good truth. He always liked when people chose dares, but he didn't blame Cas for saying truth. He already knew Cas was a virgin, hadn't had any previous boy or girlfriends, had a shit ton of annoying siblings... "What'd you first think of me on the first day we met?" He asked, deciding he'd just go with something he'd been curious about, though he knew Cas would probably tell him even without doing a truth.

Charlie perked, "Oh this is going to be cute." she said, scooting closer to hear.

Sam looked over at them, leaning in a little. Kevin was already next to them so he just turned. Gabriel sat up after calming down. Castiel bit his lip a little, looking at Dean before looking down at his fingers. He twiddled them and brought his legs closer.

"Well at first I thought you were intimidating and you talked to me so I was kind of scared you were going to bully me, so my first impression of you wasn't very nice. Then you asked for a sheet of paper and I thought that it would be better if I tried to minimize as much communication with anyone as possible so I didn't look at you when I handed it to you. Then you got mad and called me a name so I didn't understand why. I didn't really know what you wanted but then I saw you not using the paper I gave you and I was slightly annoyed on why you wanted it if you weren't going to use it. Then you started to draw and I questioned your stub of a pencil but was interested in your drawings. I got distracted after because I already learned the subject so I started to draw too." Castiel explained. "Then we got stuck together for you to lead me around and I got scared that you were going to be even madder so I left first to save you the trouble. So my initial reaction to you wasn't that good." he said.

Charlie looked at him, "So what happened after?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Castiel asked.

"Like after you left. What happened?" she asked.

Castiel looked at Dean then looked back at his fingers. "Well I left first but he called out my name and I wondered if I should just continue on or stop. I chose to stop. He greeted me differently than he did in class so I was confused on my interpretation of him. He offered me to show my classes to me and I stared at him, trying to figure out if he was lying or he was genuinely offering me. He took my staring the wrong way and left but I spilled my books after and he helped me." Castiel's face softened. "So before Dean left I apologized and said thank you. Then he joked to me and really did lead me to my classes. He was being genuine about it so I decided to go along with him." he said.

Dean smiled softly, enjoying hearing Cas's thought process for that day. Though he didn't get it at the time, he now completely understood why Cas would be hesitant to talk to him and accept his help. "Well, I'm glad your impression of me changed." He said, nudging him gently with his elbow and taking one of Cas's hands in his own. "And I didn't really need or want the paper, I just wanted an excuse to talk to you." He admitted with a grin.

Charlie touched her heart, "That is so adorable. Fate. I'm just going to say it was fate." she said.

Kevin looked at her, "But it doesn't-"

"Shhh Shhh. Lemme have my moment." Charlie cut him off.

Sam looked at them with an arched brow and small smile, "So Dean fell for Cas first?" he said. "You wanted an excuse to talk to him, so love at first sight? That's sappy." he chuckled. Castiel smiled at Dean, squeezing his hand softly.

Dean rolled his eyes at Sam. "It wasn't love at first sight, it was more... interested curiosity at first sight." He replied, though he began to wonder if that was actually true. Had he fallen for Cas right when he saw him? His life had certainly changed, but love? He glanced over at Cas, thinking nervously. "Alright, enough with the cheesy stuff, we gotta get some else to do something embarrassing or spill their guts." He said, looking at the others in an attempt to move on. That would be a problem to figure out some other time.

Charlie sighed softly and scooted back to her spot. Castiel kept his hold on Dean's hand, rubbing his thumb across it as he thought. "Sam? Truth or Dare?" he asked.

Sam arched a brow, "Dare." he replied. He wasn't one for saying truth that often.

"I dare you to where you're ticklish and let someone tickle you." he said.

Sam looked at him, "Uh. Okay." he said. He actually now felt a little nervous because he didn't like people knowing he was ticklish. "Uh, I guess my armpits and my legs?" he said slowly.

Gabriel pounced on him, "Really?" he scribbled his fingers under Sam's arms and he started to get red in the face, trying so hard not to laugh.

"C'mon. You know you want to laugh." Gabriel grinned. Sam's legs flailed as he bit his lip. Charlie sat on his legs and started wiggling her fingers on his legs, finding where he was ticklish. Sam broke after a minute and started laughing out loud.

"AHAHAHAHAHHAHH STHAHAHAP!" he laughed out.

Gabriel smirked, "How long Cassie?" he asked.

"2 minutes." Castiel replied.

"CAHAHAHAHAS YOU-YOU-RE GOING TO PAAAAAAYAY FOR THISSSSSS." Sam laughed.

Castiel laughed lightly, "Okay." he replied.

Dean laughed almost as much as Sam, his laughter-fueled fury being completely hilarious. "Cas, that's evil and perfect." He said to him, grinning. "You found his weakness!" He chuckled.

Castiel laughed, looking over at Dean. "Tickling is a fun torture, it's happy." he said. "Besides he can recover after." he smiled. "Time's up." Castiel said to Gabriel.

Dean smiled at Cas. "I like your reasoning." He said to him before turning and laughing at how disheveled Sam was.

Gabriel laughed, getting off of Sam and so did Charlie. Sam was on the ground, breathing heavily. "You...suck..." he breathed out as he looked at Castiel. His face was red and his hair was wild from the thrashing.

Castiel chuckled, "You can get me back in later rounds." he said.

Sam laid there for a few moments to catch his breath before he smoothed back his hair and sat back up. "Charlie. Truth or dare." he asked.

"Uh...truth?" she said."

Sam touched his chin thoughtfully, "Hmmm, why are you a hacker?" he asked.

Charlie sat back, "Oh well I wasn't good at anything else in school and I didn't have friends so I spent most of my time on the internet and online games. So I started programming and I just got really good at the computer but school didn't allow games so I learned how to hack it because I wanted to play." she shrugged.

"So you became the best hacker from just wanting to play games at school?" Kevin asked.

Charlie nodded, "Yeah basically." she smiled.

It seemed there would be plenty of revenge this game, which would definitely be interesting. "Dude, that's pretty much the best motivational story I think I've ever heard." Dean said to Charlie with a grin.

Charlie laughed, "I'm trying to figure out how to get it to get girls though." she said.

"Make corny computer pick up lines." Kevin offered.

Charlie laughed, "Yeah, I'll do that next time." she said. "Okay Kevin, truth or dare?" she asked.

"Dare." he said.

"I dare you to let me do a girl dress up on you." Charlie smirked.

Kevin looked at her weirdly, "You don't even have clothes." he said.

Charlie shrugged, "In my car and I have makeup." she smiled.

Gabriel raised his hand, "Anna has some stuff too. She wouldn't mind." he said.

Charlie grinned taking Kevin and Gabriel, "Let's go. We'll be right back."

Kevin screamed, "Noooooooo! Don't let them take me!" he tried to get away.

Gabriel patted him on the shoulder, "Too bad." he grinned.

His cries could be heard until it was quiet then him denying on wearing that, then oh my gods. Gabriel was laughing when he came back, holding his sides and sitting down. "Kevin makes a pretty little lady." he giggled.

Charlie looked thoroughly pleased as she stood in the doorway and a little disheveled from Kevin struggling. "Okay. Gentlemen I present you Trixie." she snickered as she stepped in and gestured.

Kevin sighed, "Trixie really?" he said, not coming in.

"Yeah now come in sour pus." Charlie laughed. "You look pretty." she said.

Kevin begrudgingly walked in with flats. He had a short skirt on and an off the shoulder sweater. He had a little bow in his hair and makeup. He even had accessories to complete the outfit. Sam burst out laughing. "Oh my god. It suits you so well!" he laughed.

Gabriel laughed all over again, "Oh god! This is great!"

Castiel chuckled a little, looking at Kevin. "You look very...pretty." he said.

Kevin crossed his arms, "Am I done?" he asked.

Charlie shook her head, "Two rounds like this." she said. She looked him over, touching under his chin, "I would date you as a girl." she winked.

Kevin lit up and she laughed, going back to the circle. Kevin slowly walked over. He sat down and had to move his legs accordingly, which made Gabriel and Sam laugh even harder.

"Shut up." Kevin grumbled.

Dean burst out laughing when he saw Kevin, rolling onto his side when he couldn't sit upright because he was laughing so hard. After a few moments he managed to sit up again, trying to breathe as he held his side. "Kevin, you're beautiful. The look really suits you." He told him, trying not to burst out laughing again. "Hey, at least it's your turn to ask someone." He added.

Kevin huffed, "You guys are dicks." he said. He looked at Gabriel, "Truth or Dare." he said.

"Dare." Gabriel replied.

"No more sweets until this time again tomorrow." Kevin said plainly.

Gabriel's face dropped, "Why does everyone do this?!" he whined. "Why does someone want to make me so sad?!" he face planted onto the ground.

Castiel laughed lightly, "That's what you get for being mean." he said.

Gabriel glared, "I just wanted to have fun." he said. "Fine, Castiel. Truth or Dare." he asked.

Castiel stopped, he seriously had to think about it. If he said truth it was more than likely he was going to ask what happened upstairs and he didn't know what he had to say dare for, but saying what he did earlier would be really embarrassing. "Da-uh." he didn't fully get it out before he regretted it and was going to change it.

"Too late. Dare it is. I dare you to dress up as a girl too." Gabriel told him.

"Fuck yeah!" Charlie grinned, dragging Castiel out.

"Wait what?!" Castiel looked confused and nervous.

"Bye Cassie." Gabriel waved.

"You can't make the same dare, that's not fair!" Castiel denied.

"So? I'm not nice remember?" he said.

Castiel frowned, following Charlie. Kevin laughed, "Wow. Is it a thing to get guys to dress up as girls?" he said.

Charlie could be heard squealing upstairs. Charlie practically gleamed when she came back, "This is the best thing ever! Gentlemen Cassie." she said. She bounced a little, gesturing over. Castiel slowly stepped in, blushing deeply. He was wearing cowgirl boots a pair of shorts and a cropped tied white button up. Charlie applied makeup to him so they couldn't see the bruises. He had accessories also on his wrist and necklace. He had a bow in his hair too.

Kevin whistled, "Looking fine Castiel." he laughed.

Sam laughed, "Wow, should I be worried you guys can pull of girl clothing?" he asked.

Gabriel had a camera out, "This is going on our Christmas card." he said.

Castiel blushed deeper, "Can I change?" he asked.

"Nope. You get to stay like this for 5 rounds." he said.

Castiel made an embarrassed sound, "I'm sorry. I gave you brownies." he said to Gabriel.

"So? I get a Christmas card greeting." he teased.

Dean looked over Cas with an arched brow. "You know, you actually look pretty good." He grinned, taking Cas's hand and pulling him down onto his lap. "Howdy, little lady." He joked in a southern drawl, smiling at the red blush Cas still had.

Castiel looked completely embarrassed, even when he sat down in Dean's lap. He just turned his face and put it into Dean's shoulder, clutching at his shirt to hide his face and embarrassment.

Charlie laughed, "Awwww Cassie, you're so cute though. Don't hide from us. You fit into every criteria of clothes for females. It's great!" she said. Castiel made a displeased sound in Dean's shoulder.

Kevin chuckled, "Yeah I wish I could hide from embarrassment." he said. "So if Castiel is still embarrassed does this mean the game is over?" he asked.

Castiel peeked back, still blushing. "No. Charlie, truth or dare?" he asked.

"...Truth?" she said again.

"Do you secretly have a thing for Kevin but wish he was a girl?" he asked before turning back into Dean.

Charlie gaped, "Wha-I.." she looked at Kevin. "You really do make a cute girl though..." she said. "You're just really cute in general, like Cassie over there." she laughed lightly.

Kevin rolled his eyes, "Thanks. I'm wanted by a lesbian."

Charlie hummed, "Okay Dean, truth or dare?" she ask.

Dean grinned as Cas asked his question, glad someone else had been wondering the same thing. "Hmm..." He hummed, trying to figure out which would be better to choose. There were plenty of things he didn't want to them to ask about, so dare would probably be safer. As long as the dress up as a girl phase was over.

"I know I'm gonna regret this, but dare." He said after a few moments.

Charlie hummed softly, "Okay for the next uhh 20 minutes you got to say everything that passes through your mind. No thinking just say everything you're thinking. To start with, what do you think of Cassie?" she asked. Castiel pulled back from his shoulder, blushing lightly as he looked back at Dean.

Dean rolled his eyes at Charlie's dare but looked down at Cas with a smile. "I think he's too sweet for his own good and I like the way he blushes." Dean replied with a grin, definitely not normally willing to say something like that in front of the people in the room.

Castiel blushed again, putting his head back in his neck. The blush had extended to his ears and he didn't want to look at anyone.

Charlie laughed, "Awww." she said.

Gabriel arched a brow, "Is this like a truth time thing? Okay well-"

"What was your first thoughts of Castiel then." Kevin asked, not wanting Gabriel to ask.

Gabriel huffed, "I was just going to ask what he thinks of Cassie dressed as a girl." he said.

Sam laughed, "I wonder that too, it's odd to have a guy look nice in girl clothes. Like you Kevin." he chuckled.

"Oh fuck you." Kevin rolled his eyes.

"Aw, what! So I just got tricked into doing a bunch of truths?" Dean huffed. "Fine." He sighed. "Well, there was definitely interested curiosity when I first saw him. I mean, he was new, and he had to sit by me, so of course I wanted to see what he was like. He ignored me at first, like he said, but honestly that just made me more curious. So I started trying to get him to talk to me, called him Blue Eyes, because, well, his eyes. Asked for a piece of paper I didn't even want, and ended up having the teacher tell me to show him around. At first I wasn't exactly thrilled cause I figured he still wouldn't talk to me, but then I realized he wasn't being stuck up or anything- he just looked kinda worried. So that made me want to help him out even more, and obviously the more I got to know him the more I liked him." He told them, thinking over it all. "Oh, and I think he looks really weirdly good in girl's clothes." He added with a grin.

Castiel sighed softly in his lap, relaxing against him. He nuzzled a little into Dean, letting him hold him but was still embarrassed so he didn't turn around. He had his legs draped over Dean's legs with his face pressed in his neck.

Charlie smiled, "See? I said the same thing! So Castiel would you ever let me dress you up again?" she asked. Castiel didn't respond, he just kept his silence in Dean's neck and shoulder. "I'll take that as a maybe." Charlie laughed.

Kevin tapped his chin, "Well that's an odd meeting at first. Like a push and pull thing. Okay, so..."

"Did you kiss Castiel in that tree?" Gabriel asked.

Dean chuckled. "Yeah." He admitted. "And it felt like a romcom moment." He added with a laugh, thinking of when Cas had fallen on top of him. "It was a pretty damn great first kiss though."

Castiel smiled softly, hugging Dean closely. "So enough with relationship things. Kinkiest kink?" Gabriel wagged his eyebrow. "C'mon Dean-O, what's the kink that you would like?"

"Hey, this isn't even fair. This is like 15 truths, and I said dare." Dean protested, frowning, before he sighed.

Sam immediately got up and covered his ears, leaving and going to the bathroom as he was up. They waited for Sam to leave before turning their attention back to Dean.

"So? What's your kink Dean?" Gabriel asked, laughing. Kevin was fixing his skirt, sighing and giving up on it when he didn't know how to.

"I don't even know. Some kinds of bondage, I guess?" Dean answered, feeling slightly embarrassed at this. "Is this over yet? This seems a lot longer than what you said." he complained.

Charlie hummed, "I said 20 minutes of whatever comes through your mind. We still have like 7 minutes." she said.

"Both ways or would you like Cassie to tie you down?" Gabriel smirked.

Dean looked back over at Charlie. "Really? Seven minutes? Are you sure?" He asked, definitely not wanting to answer Gabriel's question. He groaned. "I dunno, both ways. Jeez."

Gabriel had a devious look on his face for a split second before he just nodded, "Okay. I'm done." he said.

"Right, so can I change? I think this game is over." Kevin asked.

Charlie arched a brow, "Why would you say that?" she asked.

Kevin gestured to Castiel, who looked like he fell asleep on Dean. He was breathing softly, snuggling closer to Dean. Charlie sighed softly, "Okay fine." she said, taking Kevin and helping him remove the makeup.

Gabriel drummed his fingers, "Movies." he said. "We can watch movies if Cassie is going to fall asleep, then maybe he'll wake up later." he said. He got up and started to go through movies, then Sam came back in, letting out a breath of relief that it was over.

"Sam what do you think we should watch?" Gabriel asked.

"What do you have?" Sam asked, walking over to him.

"Everything." Gabriel laughed, gesturing to the shelves. They left Dean to deal with a sleepy Cas.

Dean smiled down at Cas, leaning back slightly so he could see his face without disturbing him too much. "You still awake?" He murmured softly, rubbing a hand against his back.

Castiel made a small sound to show that he was, but he kept his eyes closed as he rested on Dean. He hummed softly at Dean rubbing his back, it was soothing him into sleep. He hung onto Dean just cuddling close to him.

"I want to change...but I don't want to get up." he said softly.

"Mm, can't help you there. If you do go change, I'll still be here when you get back." Dean replied, smiling as he watched Cas. He looked so peaceful and sleepy.

Castiel clung onto him a little more, "But you're warm, if I get up I'm going to be cold." he whined a little. He blinked his eyes, looking up at Dean with half droopy eyes.

Charlie came back with Kevin in his normal clothes. "It's okay I had come to the rescue. I hope you don't mind me raiding your room." she said. She plopped down next to Dean and Castiel and cupped his cheeks and had a makeup remover in her hand. She wiped down his face and took the accessories off. She got up and went to go help Sam and Gabriel choose a movie. Kevin just grabbed some food before he got up to go the bathroom.

Castiel took the clothes before leaning back on Dean's legs. He shed off the boots and put them aside. He unbuttoned the white shirt and took it off and swapped into a t-shirt. He laid back onto Dean, after finishing changing as fast as he could so he could just lay there. He had the hardest time changing pants but he did and he slid back onto Dean, holding him close.

Dean chuckled at Cas's lazy changing, wrapping his arms around him when he was done. "Are you really that tired?" He asked softly, continuing the slow, rhythmic stroking against his back.

Castiel exhaled slowly, having his head resting on Dean. He moved his legs so they were onto one side so he can lean against Dean's chest again. "You are just really warm and it's really soothing...It makes me kind of sleepy. I was tired from earlier already for waking up early." Castiel curled a little closer, under Dean's chin. "Then swimming and cooking. They are normal tasks but I felt a bit more tired after what we did upstairs..." he explained. "You are just really soothing and comforting to me so I feel safe and I become sleepy since I don't have to worry."

Dean smiled warmly, tightening his arm slightly as he continued to rub his back. "I make you feel warm and safe?" He repeated, feeling the same warm feeling in his chest as earlier. Even if he couldn't quite place what the feeling was, he definitely enjoyed it.

Castiel nodded a little, "Mhmm." he replied. He was breathing softly as they sat there.

The others came back soon with a movie in their hands, "So we got a movie from every category. From scary to comedy." Gabriel held a little stack. "We're doing scary first." he said. "So I'm going to make popcorn then, you guys are welcome to come find anything you want to snack on in the kitchen. I have food stored somewhere for junking." he grinned.

Charlie quickly got up and followed. Kevin looked over at Dean and Castiel before he got up and asked Gabriel something. He looked at Sam and asked him to come, they came back with a bunch of pillows and blankets, "Okay this should be good for movies." Said Kevin.

Kevin passed one to Dean to let him use it over them and gave him a few pillows. Then Sam and him started making a small bed spread for them to sit or lay.

Dean draped a blanket over him and Cas. He adjusted a few pillows carefully, not wanting to disturb Cas from his sleepy state. Castiel hummed, contently. He sighed softly, resting one of his hand in his lap and the other one over Dean's that was around his waist. "M' not hurting your lap am I?" He mumbled in his drowsiness.

Sam chuckled a little at how happy Dean looked at having Cas in his lap. He'd never seen Dean treat someone so tenderly as Dean was treating Cas. It was adorable really. Charlie and Gabriel soon came back with 3 different bowls, one for the dip from earlier, normal chips, and popcorn. Gabriel made more of the dip for them in place of Cas.

Charlie settled down between Kevin and Sam, "You guys made a nice nest." She chuckled quietly.

Gabriel sat down next to Sam at the end. "Comfy." He grinned.

"Thanks." Sam smiled.

Gabriel grabbed the remote and put on the tv, he changed the settings and pressed play on the movie. He turned it down slightly but kept it up around normal. They were watching the woman in black. Gabriel settled back on the plush pillows, eating some popcorn. He offered the bowl to everyone and they kind of picked out of it. Dean and Castiel were on the side of Kevin, who was laying next to Charlie. Sam was in the middle with Gabriel on the outermost.

Castiel nuzzled against Dean, "Am I distracting you from the movie? I can move off the side." He offered quietly. He didn't say move away because he wanted to still sit close to Dean but not if he was bothering him.

"You're not hurting my lap. I like having you here." Dean murmured to not disturb the others. "And you're not distracting me from the movie. Even if you were, I'd still want you to stay here." He added. Cas was warm and looked completely content, which made Dean smile.

Castiel moved his fingers in between Dean's, nodded a little with a small smile. "I thought it was really sweet of what you said earlier..." he said. "It's nice to know what you thought of when we first met..." he slowly exhaled.

Castiel just felt really nice, his heart had a soft squeeze that wasn't painful but nice. The others were engrossed into the movie so they paid no attention to them. Castiel touched the side of Dean's face and leaned up, placing a kiss on the underside of his jaw before he settled back down onto Dean.

Dean smiled, kissing the top of his head. "I like knowing what you thought too, even if it wasn't great at first." He chuckled lightly, starting to rub his back a few more times.

Castiel leaned against the touch, liking the feeling. "I'm sorry it wasn't great at first...I don't trust people that easily when I first meet them...It never turned out well for me when I had." he told Dean.

"Nah, it's okay. I understand. I didn't really trust anyone outside of my family either, before you." Dean replied softly. "And it worked out well for both of us." He chuckled.

Castiel smiled a little, he squeezed Dean's fingers gently. "Yes it has. You've made school a better place for me even though there are still troubles. I have some things to look forward to. Friends. It's all very new to me and I find them more enjoyable learning them through you." he peeked open his eyes to look at Dean, "So thank you." he smiled.

Dean grinned, leaning down to kiss him on the forehead. "I like helping you out and showing you new things. And school's gotten a hell of a lot better with you." He added honestly.

Castiel chuckled lightly before he felt Kevin flinch right next to them. Everyone was kind of curled up closely as the movie progressed, Charlie was kind of hiding behind the blanket while Sam just watched with a blank look on his face. Gabriel was chewing away on popcorn as they watched.

Castiel looked up at Dean, "You haven't watched any part of the movie so far have you?" he asked quietly.

Dean glanced up, realizing how tense everyone was. "Nope, haven't seen any of it." He chuckled softly, looking back at Cas. "Neither have you. And I don't mind."

Castiel chuckled a little, still feeling a bit tired but enjoying their talk they were having. He sat there for a moment before he looked up at Dean, "What's bondage?" he asked.

Dean glanced down at him quickly, part of him had been hoping Cas had already dozed off by that point. It didn't really surprise him that he didn't know, but he wasn't sure if he really wanted to explain it to him. "Uh, well, it's one of the people being tied up or restrained or something." He said, looking down to gauge Cas's reaction.

Castiel tilted his head a little, "Restrained from what?" he asked. He just knew that apparently Dean liked it so he thought it would be a good idea to attain some knowledge on what it is to see if he could make Dean happy.

"From moving, basically." Dean replied. "Like having hands or feet tied up." He said. "And you don't have to feel like you have to try it or anything. I mean, I'd have a good time without." He added, realizing that Cas was probably asking for that exact reason.

Castiel hummed softly, "But I would want to try it just to see if I would enjoy it or not. You had said you liked it. There would be no harm in trying right?" he asked. "If you restrict movement, then it would only be then the other party moving, placing the other person at their will, correct?" he asked. "Is tying them up the only thing about bondage?" he added.

"If you're game for trying, I'm definitely up for it." Dean replied, liking the idea of it. "And yeah, one person is moving while the other can't. There's other stuff that goes along with it sometimes, but I'm not as into that." He said.

Castiel smiled a little, "Okay. I think it would be better to try once I have a better idea on intercourse." he said. "It's still confusing to me, so I think that would be better to try another time in the later future." he said. "What are possible other things that you can do besides restricting movement?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, you gotta get an idea of what you like with regular sex before I start tossing kinks at you." Dean replied. "And you can go into all the bdsm stuff, like whips and collars and blindfolds, all that kind of thing." He explained.

Castiel looked at Dean and nodded a little, "I'm not so sure on what bdsm is but I would understand the concept of the things you listed. I know that taking away a sense heightens the other, hence a blindfold. I would see why people would enjoy that, but I would probably miss seeing your face if so." he replied.

He looked over at the group, them almost completely huddled together as they watched. Kevin was basically hiding in Charlie and her into Sam. Sam just patted them comfortingly as Gabriel leaned onto Sam.

Castiel chuckled softly, "What else are considered kinks that you would like since you had made it plural?" he asked.

Dean hummed softly in thought. "I don't know if I can come up with a list of the top of my head." He replied. "But you remember when we being kind of rough? That was nice. What about you? I know you don't have a whole lot of experience, but anything you liked?" He asked curiously.

Castiel blushed lightly, not that Dean could really see that. "I...uh... it was all really kind of new so I enjoyed the whole thing, but...I really enjoyed you lifting me...and umm...touching my chest..." he said softly. He blushed a bit deeper. "I just really enjoyed all of it really, everything felt really good." he said, he curled in a little as he got embarrassed.

Dean moved one of his hands around, hooking his fingers under Cas chin to gently pull his face upwards. He could tell he was embarrassed, which he admittedly found pretty cute, but there was no reason for him to be. "I liked lifting you too." He murmured, kissing him briefly. "And I'm glad you liked it. It gets even better." He grinned.

Castiel relaxed a little but was still blushing lightly, he looked at Dean questionably. "Better? I don't understand what would get better from lifting someone." he said.

"I mean the whole thing gets better." Dean replied with a chuckle. "You'll get some more experience, we can do more, and it'll be even better." He told Cas. "Nothing you don't want to, though." He added.

Castiel tipped his head to the side a little, "I don't think there would be anything where I wouldn't. You make everything enjoyable and it feels good so I trust you." he said. He smiled at Dean, "But thank you for thinking of my opinion also, it's very kind of you." he said.

Dean smiled. "Well, I don't wanna pressure you. I don't want to mess up what we have because I pushed you." He said softly. He didn't want to risk anything with Cas.

"You're not pressuring me Dean. I'm willing to do these things with you." Castiel replied. "I would tell you if you've gone too far or if I don't like it." he said. He brushed his face against Dean's, "I don't break that easily Dean at the first thing, I would try to talk to you if anything were to upset me." he told him.

Dean relaxed slightly, knowing Cas meant what he said. "Right. I guess I'm being kinda paranoid." He chuckled slightly, kissing his cheek.

Castiel smiled a little, "It's okay, it's understandable." he said, knowing what Dean was talking about because he felt the same way. That he'll scare away Dean and he won't ever come back.

The movie was halfway through. Charlie screamed at one point, completely in the blankets. Kevin had his eyes glued to the screen in fear. Sam made a weird face at the screen while Gabriel just lightly scoffed and kept eating.

Castiel had glanced from them, to the screen, then back to Dean. "Maybe it was wrong to watch movies with them." he said. Initially he was tired but he was more awake now since he was talking to Dean.

Dean glanced around at how tense everyone else was, looking up at the screen. "Yeah, I haven't been paying any attention and I have no idea what's going on." He said with a quiet laugh, looking back down at Cas.

"Of course you haven't been paying much attention. We have been talking since it started." Castiel said softly. He moved on Dean's lap, making sure he didn't make Dean's leg hurt for sitting in one place for too long. "Maybe I should have fallen asleep. Then you could have joined the others in watching." he said, settling in a new position.

"I'm glad you stayed up. If rather talk to you than watch whatever this is." Dean replied, letting Cas shift before wrapping his arm around him again. "Besides, I can watch this any time." He added, shrugging it off.

Castiel leaned onto Dean, resting against him again. He breathed in Dean's scent, exhaling slowly. "I enjoy talking to you as well." he replied. "You know so much about me, but not really anything at all." he said. "Do ever think of questions to ask me?" he asked.

Dean nodded, settling down into the sofa. "Yeah, like what's your favorite meal to cook?" He asked. "And I'd ask what your favorite tv show or movie was, but since you didn't watch tv a whole lot, what's the best book you've ever read?"

Castiel adjusted a little, leaning onto Dean. "I don't necessarily have a favorite meal or book. I enjoy cooking in general and trying new things is always really nice. I'm the only one to ever really eat my own food so I don't know if I favor one more than the other." He explained. "I have read many books in my life so far, all different assortment. All books are meaningful to me, each has their struggles, their characters, their ending. I suppose if I chose one that stuck with me all these years is please stop bullying me." He said.

He rested his head onto Dean's chest, hearing him breathe and his heart beat. "It's about a girl who got bullied wherever she went and she got bullied so often she thought that she deserved it. Her parents never really helped her with her situation, saying it was her fault that she got bullied. She had problems with her physical appearances that made others make fun of her." Castiel explained the book. "Years went on and on. Even in senior year she was bullied. Then some point in that year, they took a trip and she met a boy who was helping a restaurant on the trip. He told her that her flaws were beautiful, that she was. That no matter what others said that someone will always find them beautiful. He said right now, I am that person. They parted ways after the trip was over but they never forgot each other, they sent each other letters and were best friends. Years went on and she got a job and she made it well on her own, her flaws filled out and come time for reunion. She didn't make fun of those who were beneath her now when they made fun of her, she just thought of karma. She laughed a little about how much their opinion mattered to get when she was growing up but here she was, more successful than all those who stood in her way when she was young." He finished. He didn't say anything after, just waited for Dean's reaction or if he wanted to ask something.

Dean nodded slightly, thinking about what Cas had said. He could easily see why he'd connect with that book, though Dean still hated that he'd had to go through all of that- was still going through it, even with his help. "Well that's gonna be like you, then. You'll come back as a bestselling writer that everyone knows, with directors begging to make your stuff into movies, and they'll regret all the shit they put you through." Dean told him, knowing that if that could be true for anyone, it'd be Cas. "What sort of stuff do you want to write, by the way?" He asked.

Castiel smiled, he kissed the side of Dean's neck. He liked kissing and he found nothing wrong with showing Dean his affection. He settled again, "I think about mysteries, mythology, sci-fi, and horror in a way. Like the Supernatural. There is so much freedom to write about things that could possibly exist but not. You keep to the guidelines of mankind but you warp it to fit under a certain feel you are trying to get. You make it believable but also make it bizarre enough where it can't so people question it. Do they exist? Had this happened? Can this happen? Is what we know not actually all we know? It's interesting to question the human mind because our mind is constantly curious and asks questions. It wants to connect our knowledge but some things are left blank so we always try to figure it out by digging deeper and the more we try the more lost we become but the thirst of knowledge never ceases." He explained to Dean. "The world is so mysterious so why not give people illusions and let them decide if those exist or not or if they can be possible." He said. He glanced up at Dean, "Sorry I was just ambling on about myself." He apologized. "Do you have any career you would want to pursue? That you have dreamt about before you decided to be a mechanic?" He asked.

"No, I don't mind. I like hearing you talk about stuff you're interested in. Like the bees. I like seeing the way your eyes light up when you start explaining the things you love." Dean replied honesty, smiling down at him. "And... Well, I used to want to be like a detective. Y'know, saving people, hunting criminals, that sort of thing." He replied, glancing over to be sure the others were still absorbed in the movie, which they were.

Castiel smiled, "Really? What made you change your mind on that?" He asked. "Maybe I could portray you as a protagonist in my story, then you could be a detective." He added.

"Well, I don't have the best track record with authority." He chuckled lightly. "Plus, I wanna start saving up as soon as I finish out high school and can get a full time job. I know you've probably already figured it out, but moneys always been pretty tight for us. I don't want that to limit Sam." Dean explained, tracing light circles on Cas's back thoughtfully. "But, y'know, maybe after all that I could. Or, if not, being one of your characters would be just as good." He added with a grin.

Castiel's eyes softened as Dean talked, he was looking out for Sam and put him first before himself. He smiled a little, "Maybe you could, every story needs a character. You would be a very good character to put in." he said. He thought for a minute of more questions, "What's your favorite color?" he asked. "I already know your favorite foods." he chuckled. They were just talking about each other and it was really nice to get to know Dean more.

Dean laughed. "Yeah, cause that's definitely important to know. And my favorite color... I like blue." He said, glancing at Cas's eyes with a grin. "What about you?"

Castiel smiled, "Green." he replied. He reached up and touched Dean's cheeks, "Apple green like your eyes." he said. "They are very captivating, I enjoy looking at your eyes."

Dean grinned, leaning forward slightly to rest their foreheads together. "Yours are too. They were one of the first things I noticed about you, but you probably figured that out, Blue Eyes."

Castiel chuckled softly, "No one had really noticed them before you. I always looked down so people would disregard me or they would see them and call them weird, fake, or anything they could really think of. I was actually happy when you complimented them here when we were cooking the first time you came here." he confessed.

"Really?" Dean asked, surprised. "They're crazy blue. Like... Like the color of the ocean on postcards for Hawaii. Or the deepest part of an iceberg." He said, studying them closely. "Or cotton candy flavored snow cones." He added with a grin.

Castiel blushed lightly, smiling at Dean. He leaned up and gave him a soft kiss. He looked back at Dean, "Your eyes change progressively throughout the day. They are such a light green then they become the apple green, sometimes they get darker to become an emerald color, or when you looked at my upstairs they were a deep evergreen." he said. "It's always nice to see them change."

Dean smiled, always loving when Cas talked about him like that, like he was something completely special. "You know, I like your lips too. Soft, warm, very inviting." He said, leaning forward to press another kiss against then to prove his point. "But I think you already know how much I like you."

Castiel smiled, "But it's always nice to hear how much you do." he chuckled. He kissed Dean again before giving him a kiss on the cheek. His eyes shifted over to the group, where Charlie was hiding under Sam and he was chuckling. Kevin was laying over her to stop watching and Gabriel had stopped eating but he was resting on Sam.

"Sam is very accepted among them, it's kind of cute." he said.

Dean glanced over at them and chuckled. "Sammy's always been good at making friends. I'm glad they're all getting along. Kevin and Charlie look traumatized though." He laughed.

Castiel had a small smile on his face, he chuckled. "Yes they do, they will probably enjoy watching the rest of the movies later to get their mind off of this." he said. "I'm glad that we're all friends to be here and do this, though we are not exactly participating it is still nice to know their presence."

"I am too. It's nice to be able to just hang out with friends." Dean replied. "And I don't think they mind too much that we're not watching. I bet we're gonna sleep the best since we're not." He added with a grin.

Castiel tipped his head a little, "Hmm Gabriel will probably sleep fine and I do not know how Sam handles scary movies but we probably will." he said. He slid his fingers from Dean's cheek into his hair and hummed, thinking of more questions. "...How much experience do you think you have in intercourse? Are there a lot of others that you do not speak to anymore because of it? Like Rhonda Hurley?" he asked quietly.

"I wouldn't say a lot." Dean replied quickly. "I mean, there've been a couple. But I'm still learning too. Plus, it's completely different with you. And not just cause you're a guy." He added.

"It's not?" Castiel asked. "You had said that you have yet to have intercourse with a male so I don't understand how it would not be completely different." he said. "Is it because I lack experience that it would be different? Should I go attain experience before we have intercourse? Would that be more efficient? Then you wouldn't be displeased after or missed out." Castiel replied.

"No, no, it's nothing about how much experience you've had." Dean replied hastily, feeling an irrational pang of jealousy at the thought if Cas 'attaining experience'. "No, I mean it's different because it's you. I care about you way more than I did them. It's more than just physical with you." He explained.

Castiel relaxed in Dean's lap, getting a bit tensed that Dean was not going to like him for not being able to please him. He smiled at Dean, "Oh, I understand now. I suppose all my knowledge will come from you then." he said. "I am in your care." he added. The movie was almost over but there was still about 20-25 minutes left.

Dean grinned. "Then hopefully I'm a good teacher." He replied, relaxing too. He'd never been so protective or jealous over people before Cas, but now it was different. "I'll definitely like showing you."

"You are a good teacher and I think I'll enjoy learning if you taught." Castiel smiled a little with a blush. He kissed the side of Dean's lips, "Are we done asking questions?" he asked.

Dean smiled, hoping that was true. He thought for a moment and nodded. "Yeah, I think so." He replied, not thinking of any more for the moment.

Castiel nodded, hugging Dean and just resting against him like he was earlier. He had his head resting in Dean's neck and shoulders. They didn't say much after, just cuddled as the others finished the movie.

Gabriel ejected the movie after it was done, looking over at the group. "Well that was a good movie." he said.

Sam laughed and nodded, "I was actually scared at some point." he said.

"Some point?!" Charlie shot up from Sam, "The whole movie was scary!" she said.

Kevin agreed, "Dude thank god I used the bathroom before this because I wouldn't be able to go." he chuckled wearily.

Charlie's eyes widened, "Oh thanks. Now I have to go." she said. "But I'm scared, Sam come with me." she said.

Sam looked at her weirdly, "Why me?" he asked.

"Because you're big and you can protect me from scary things." she said. "Saaaaaaam." she whined. "Please?" Charlie looked up at him.

Sam sighed, "C'mon." he said getting up and helping Charlie up. "You guys can start the next movie before we come back." he said.

Kevin smoothed out the blanket, "Ugh, I don't even want to think about that movie." he said.

Gabriel got up and went into the kitchen to find other food to munch on and before he came back he jumped out at Kevin who screamed. "Well we all know that Cassie is awake now so no need to be quiet." Gabriel laughed.

Dean rested one hand on his back and the other wrapped around Cas's hand, still just as comfortable. He laughed as Kevin screamed. "C'mon, it couldn't have been that bad. Do you need Sam to protect you too?" He teased with a grin.

Sam came back with Charlie hot on his heels. "What about me?" he asked.

Gabriel grinned, "I scared Kevin and he screamed." he said.

Kevin huffed, "It was really scary okay? I'm not used to scary things." he said.

Charlie nodded, "I second that. That was terrifying." she said.

Gabriel laughed, "Okay whatever scaredy cats, we're watching a romantic comedy this time so you guys can calm down before we watched something suspenseful." he said.

Sam settled back in his spot only to have everyone cuddle back into him. He had his arms up and arched a brow before he chuckled, "What am I a pillow?" he asked.

Charlie nodded, "Yeah you're pretty comfy." she said.

Gabriel nodded, "I second that." he said. Castiel nuzzled into Dean, not really bothered by anyone and they didn't seem to mind that he was sitting on Dean like this.

Dean chuckled as the others swarmed Sam. "Looks like you're their personal protection and pillow." He joked. "But I guess I'm a pretty good pillow too, apparently." He added, glancing down at Cas with a smile.

"I call for shipment on Winchester Pillows." Charlie laughed.

Sam rolled his eyes with a smile, "We're being objectified. I'm protection, a moose, and a pillow." he chuckled.

Gabriel laughed, "Shhhh, pillows don't talk." he said.

"Neither do Moose." Kevin added. They all laughed a little as they settled.

Castiel smiled a little, having his eyes closed as he lied on Dean. "You're my own special pillow and protection then." he said softly.

Dean smiled softly. "Sounds good to me. I like being your pillow and protection." He murmured, drumming his fingers lightly against Cas's back and leaning his head gently against his.

Eventually they all kind of dozed off. Castiel was the first to fall asleep on Dean, breathing evenly as he held onto him. Charlie fell asleep on Sam, clutching onto his shirt so he wouldn't leave and Kevin was laying on her and holding onto her. Sam had his arms over both, resting his head on Charlie's. Gabriel was still awake with Dean as he lied on Sam's side. He shut off the TV when the credits ran. He looked over at the group, laughing quietly. He pulled out a blanket and draped it over them. He looked over at Dean and Castiel to see Dean still awake.

He arched a brow, "Still awake Dean-O?" he joked quietly as he got up.

Dean glanced over at the others, knowing Cas had fallen asleep but not realizing everyone else had too. He grinned at them all cuddled up, turning back to Gabriel. "Yeah, I'm still up. Looks like we're the only ones, though."

"Didn't notice til now? Too busy staring at Cassie's face? Creep." Gabriel laughed a little. "It's not actually that late, it's about 8-9. I'm about to go into the kitchen to make everyone something so when they wake up they have something to eat." he said. He looked at Dean, "Dean you're not going to abandon Castiel right?" he asked. It was kind of dark in the room so Gabriel's face was unreadable.

Dean's grin fell, replaced by a confused frown. "Abandon him- what? No, of course not!" He replied hotly, temporarily forgetting they were surrounded by sleepers. "I'd never do that to him." He added more quietly.

Castiel stirred having Dean move and talk loudly for a split second. He made a small sound and resumed sleeping, holding onto Dean's shirt a little tighter. Gabriel looked over at them, "Okay. I trust you on this, but you can still have a chance to leave before things get to serious. We have a lot more family problems than you think." he started after seeing the group next to him settle.

Dean sighed softly, remembering to keep his voice down. "Look, Gabriel, I...I like Cas. More than he probably likes me. He's pretty much the best thing I've ever had. I don't care how shitty your family is- the only thing that could split us up would be Castiel leaving me, not the other way around." He said quietly, hand tightening slightly around Cas.

Gabriel arched a brow, listening to Dean talk. "Wow I didn't think it was that serious yet." he replied. "If you're serious about this then I'll be the supporting brother that Cassie needs. If you aren't, I'll be the one to have to tell him beforehand or comfort him later." he said. "Your brother will probably tell Castiel the same thing when he has the chance but you're warned Dean. Our family is pretty fucked up. There might be a chance where we just move...no goodbyes, nothing to remember them by, nothing..." Gabriel said quietly. "They disconnect you from everything and I don't want to see Cassie heartbroken or see you hurting each other in the process. That's not something you want to feel." he said. Castiel made a small pleased sound as Dean pulled him closer. Gabriel looked at Castiel, "Blank slate Dean. I'm hoping you aren't going to ruin everyone else for him." he said.

Deans brow furrowed as he frowned, looking down at Cas's sleeping face. 'Ruin everyone else for him?'

Dean knew Cas could do better than him- he'd known the entire time, but he just figured he'd gotten lucky. In the back of his mind, he'd always thought and feared that Cas would find someone better, more suitable. But could Dean really ruin everyone else for him? Hurt him that much? Dean swallowed uncertainly. "I don't want him to be hurt if that happened, but I... I can't. I can't leave him now." He said, wondering if he was being ridiculously selfish. "I mean, there's a chance that this could work out, right? That you guys wouldn't disappear or your family wouldn't get involved?" He asked, looking up from Cas to Gabriel.

Gabriel kept quiet for a moment, "...I'm trusting you Dean." he didn't actually reply to the other part because even he didn't even know.

They have changed so many locations over time that Gabriel never got too attached to someone. He mostly kept to himself and ate sweets all day. Castiel was the only person who tried to do something and he got shot down each and every time he tried, Gabriel had watched it all and wondered why he tried so much. He had gotten attached to someone and he never got to say goodbye to her. One day it was happy and the next, gone. He seriously hoped that Castiel wouldn't have to fall to that, to suffer what he went through to only enjoy people by the surface and not much more than that. Castiel was really different from the rest of the family and he hoped that he could preserve that before he got out, before the family got involved and destroyed everything.

Gabriel got up and started toward the kitchen, "I don't know." was all he said before he left.

Dean frowned, holding Cas tightly as if he could protect him from his own family. But he couldn't, and he knew it, and it terrified him. "It'll be okay." He murmured softy, unsure of whether he was trying to comfort himself or Cas's sleeping form.

Castiel felt Dean tense up from underneath him, he lightly stirred and blinked awake. He rubbed his eyes a little as his eyes adjusted. He looked up at Dean, "Dean?" he said quietly before he yawned, "What's wrong...?" he asked.

Dean hesitated, trying to decide how much he should tell Cas. "Nothing, I was just thinking." He said, forcing himself to relax. "You know you could do a lot better than me, right? I mean, I'm glad we're together and I hope it stays that way, but if something happened... You just know you could find someone else, right?"

Castiel looked at Dean, "But I don't want that. I don't think anyone would want me." he replied quietly. He saw that Dean was trying to relax and he touched his cheek, "What's on your mind Dean?" he asked. He looked at him, eyes shifting between the two. "Did I do something to upset you? Are you breaking up with me?" he asked, getting progressively quieter. "You don't hate me do you Dean?" he looked at him sadly and desperately.

"No, you didn't do anything to upset- breaking up? Hate you?" Dean spluttered, bewildered that Cas could even think that. "Cas, no, of course not. I'm not upset, I'm definitely not breaking up with you, and it's not even possible for me to hate you." He reassured him, rubbing his back in soothing circles. "Cas, you're incredible. Plenty of people would want you. Especially me."

Castiel relaxed a bit, hearing Dean telling him that he was wrong but he still wasn't satisfied. He looked at Dean, touching his cheek gently, "Then why did you bring it up?" he asked. "What's on your mind that is bothering you so much Dean?" he said.

"Well..." Dean hesitated before deciding that the truth would probably be good. "Gabriel told me that there's a chance your family might mess this up, might make you move away or something. I just want to make sure you'd be okay. I don't want you to get hurt."

Castiel stayed quiet for a second, "My family would mess this up. There's no question about them getting involved once they know." he replied. He saw Dean tense up again, he sighed softly and stroked his thumb against Dean's cheek. "We have moved many times and I always went along, but I would stay if they left. I have something to stay for and I'm not going to leave you behind just because." Castiel told him. "No I wouldn't be okay and yes I would be hurt if we were to part ways unexpectedly. I would miss you greatly and no one could replace you." he looked up at Dean. "I already made a promise with you. What kind of person would I be if I broke that promise?" he asked quietly.

"Cas, I couldn't ask you to stay with me and leave your whole family. You could find someone better than me, no problem." Dean frowned, looking pained and closing his eyes. "You're not always going to need a knight to come save you. I'd rather you break your promise than get hurt." He said softly, willing to take the pain it would cause him if it meant Cas would be spared from it.

"I'm not leaving much. As you can tell, they already left me. I would stay because I wanted to." Castiel turned in Dean's lap, so he could face him directly. He took Dean's face into his hands. "Dean." He said. "Look at me." He said softly but firmly. Once Dean looked at him, he started talking again. "I'm not leaving you. You're who I want, I don't care that I could get someone else. I want you. You, Dean Winchester. You are what makes me, happy, free, accepted. I'm not leaving my family, I'm moving on onto something that would make me happy. I would not leave you alone to handle the pain alone." He stroked his thumbs at Dean's cheeks. "You can't blame yourself. It wouldn't be your fault. It wouldn't be mine. It would be something greater than that and out of your hands. Don't take this upon yourself Dean. It's not your responsibility." He said. "We'll make it. If you want to keep this relationship, I'll fight just as much as you. If we want it, then we'll find a way. There's always a choice." Castiel never broke eye contact with him. "Don't think low of yourself Dean. We are equal, maybe even slightly better than me. I'm not leaving Dean, I promise."

Dean smiled slightly, relaxing at Cas's reassurance. He definitely didn't think there was any way he was possibly better than Cas, but he decided not to say that now. "Thank you, really. I'm definitely not leaving either. So it looks like we're gonna make this work, if neither of us is leaving." His smile widened, leaning slightly into Cas's hands as the warmth in his chest returned, replacing the doubt.

Castiel smiled and nodded, he kissed Dean's eyelids and forehead. "We will." He said. He glanced to see everyone still sleeping and noticed Gabriel gone, "Where's Gabriel anyways?" He asked.

"Oh, he's getting food or something. For when the others wake up." Dean replied, glancing over towards the kitchen. "He cares a lot about you, which is nice. I'm glad you've got someone in your family on your side."

Castiel smiled a little, "He never tells me upfront but I notice, like I've told you when we walked here. Sam notices what you do but probably not to the full extent." He said. He looked over at Sam and them, "We know. When things change, we know. We don't say anything or we may not notice but we eventually figure it out." He looked back at Dean. "Do you feel better now that we've talked?" He asked.

Dean looked over at Sam fondly, wondering if he really did know. He hoped so. He turned back to Cas and smiled. "Yeah, I really do. I was kinda freaking out." He admitted with a chuckle.

Castiel nodded, "I'm aware. You tensed up a lot." He said.

Gabriel popped back in, "Oh you're awake. So I made spaghetti for us and everyone so you can wake them up now." He said.

Castiel nodded, "Thank you for making food." He said.

Gabriel smirked, "Yeah didn't want to ruin the looove moment." He chuckled before he left.

Castiel rolled his eyes, "We should wake them up then." He said.

Dean rolled his eyes at Gabriel before grinning at Cas. "Oh, I wanna wake them up." He said, grabbing a couple of pillows and chucking them at the others with a laugh.

Kevin jolted, sitting upright and grabbing the pillow. "I'm not scared." He said.

Charlie slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What? This isn't moondor. I thought I was the queen." She said.

Sam stretched his arms and sat up and grabbing the pillows, looking over at Dean who was laughing. "Jerk." He tossed the pillow back.

Dean chuckled at Kevin's reaction before catching the pillow San threw at him. "Bitch." He replied with a grin. "Gabriel made spaghetti. So hop up, bed heads, let's get some food." He told them.

Kevin groaned, rolling over to sit up. "That movie was scarring. It's not my fault." He said.

Charlie stretched and stood up, looking over at Castiel and Dean. Castiel was still straddling him and Charlie arched a brow, "Did you guys do anything weird while we were asleep did you?" She asked.

Castiel shook his head, "No. We talked." He said.

Sam laughed, smoothing out his hair. "Let's go eat then." He said.

Castiel looked at Dean and moved off his lap. He stretched himself out, sighing softly. He looked at Dean, "Did I numb your legs?"

Dean stretched out his legs and rolled his ankles before he stood up. "A little." He admitted with a chuckle. "But I don't mind. You're warm." He added with a grin, walking with him as they followed the others into the kitchen.

Gabriel grinned at the group, "Sup bed heads. Come get food then we can knock out again or whatever." He laughed.

Kevin looked over at the food Gabriel made, "So if you can cook, why does Castiel do it?" He asked.

"I get lazy and I'm not usually here. Plus Cassie had a knack for it and enjoys it so why burst his bubble?" Gabriel shrugged.

Charlie picked up a plate and picked up some food. "I wonder if you guys cook the same." She said. She tasted it and tipped her head to the side, "Eh it's not bad." She laughed.

Castiel took a spoon and tasted it. He went through the cabinets and added a few things and stirred it up. "Okay, try now." He said. Charlie tasted it again, humming. "Much better." She laughed.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Hey, I tried for you hobos." He said.

"We appreciate it." Sam chuckled. They all got food and settled at the table.

Dean laughed, grabbing a serving. "At least you tried." He joked, trying to go back to normal with Gabriel. He appreciated the warning, even if he and Cas were going to carry on like normal.

Gabriel shrugged, "Hey I'm more of a guy who gets fed things, I don't cook things." he said.

Charlie laughed a little, "Those female strippers of yours?" she said.

Gabriel snapped his fingers, "You got it." he joked. Kevin rolled his eyes and ate some of their food. They joked about nothing until they finished.

Gabriel whined, "I have no sweets." he groaned.

Kevin laughed, "That's what you get for helping me look like a female." he said.

"But you were so pretty." Gabriel teased. "I'm surprised you fit into female clothes so well." he said.

Kevin looked away, "Yeah. That's not really a compliment." he said.

Sam chuckled, "I don't know, I guess that means you can get both sexes." he teased.

Charlie pushed Sam, "Hey! It's not my fault he makes a cute girl." she said.

Kevin groaned, "You guys are ruining my masculinity." he said.

"What masculinity?" Dean joked with a grin. "Don't worry, Cas made a cute girl too. You just happen to look good in both genders." He said, laughing. "It's a compliment. Totally."

Castiel blushed as Kevin looked at Dean in disbelief. "So you're telling me that if you dressed as a girl and we thought you looked good, you would think that's a compliment. Maybe you should dress up as a girl and let us say that." he said.

Charlie perked, "I'm all for it!" she exclaimed.

Sam laughed, "I'll hold him down if this is going where I think it is." he said.

Dean stopped, eyes widening slightly. "No, no, I don't think we need to do that. You can all use your imaginations." He replied hastily, not liking the way they were looking at him.

"I want to see." Castiel looked at Dean with an expecting look.

Gabriel pounced on Dean, "C'mon Deanna, let's go play dress up." He grinned wickedly.

Sam help hold Dean back as Charlie ran first to go grab things. Kevin looked at Castiel before following after. Castiel cleaned up the table and put the dishes aside and everything before going up to see them.

"C'mon guys, this is like assault or something!" Dean replied as he struggled, but soon realized he wasn't much of a match for Gabriel and Sam. "This isn't even fair." He groaned, giving one last attempt before stopping his struggle. "You guys suck."

Sam laughed, "Well now we get to see what a pretty lady you make." he said. "I bet you will be beautifully ugly." he teased.

Charlie was bouncing, "C'mon let's finish before Castiel comes, then we get to surprise him." she said happily.

Kevin followed after them before catching up. "Well Dean, how does it feel to know what I went through?" he asked.

Gabriel laughed, "It looked like hell." he said.

"Yeah, okay, well I wasn't the one who dared you to dress as a girl. I didn't dare any of you to do anything! Jeez what'd I do to deserve this." He grumbled. "Nevermind, don't answer that." He added, breaking into a grin despite himself.

Charlie flipped through some clothes, finding which ones she wanted. "Okay Dean, change into this." she said. She handed him an asymmetrical shirt that was long sleeved and short sleeved. It was black with an open back. She handed him a red pencil skirt, stockings and some heels. "Go get changed." She laughed.

Dean looked at the clothes and back at Charlie, mortified. "You've gotta be kidding. Where's your mercy?" He pleaded, knowing that they'd probably hold him down and change him themselves if he didn't comply. "Have I mentioned how much you guys suck? Cause you do. Big time." He grumbled, snatching the clothes and glaring at them with as much dignity as he could muster as he went to change begrudgingly.

Charlie laughed, "No mercy Winchester." she said.

Sam sat down on the bed and Kevin sat on the ground. Gabriel was leaning in the doorway to see if Castiel was coming. Charlie waited for a few moments before following Dean and busting into his changing place. She brought makeup with her, "Oh god, you don't even know how to put it on right." she said before she closed the door.

She set down her makeup bag and helped Dean into his clothes. "Turn." she said as she adjusted the skirt, she tucked in the shirt and fixed the back. She arched a brow at the stockings. She just lifted Dean's skirt up and put on a garter for him and clipped them on. Then she fixed it as she ignored Dean. She fixed the outfit and she sat him down, "Put on your heels while I get the makeup out." she said.

Dean started to protest when Charlie burst in but knew it would do no good. "Why doesn't any of this make sense?!" He grumbled as she fixed everything, practically pouting by the time she sat him down. "I'm not even gonna be able to stand in these." He objected as he pulled the heels on.

"Oh don't be a baby, those are like 2-3 inches." Charlie replied. She rummaged through the bag and turned back once Dean was done, "Close your eyes." she said.

She applied foundation, powder, and primer. She did his eye shadow, mascara, liquid eyeliner, eyeliner, brows, blush, and lipstick. She applied gloss onto them and she looked at him before she tapped her cheek. "Oh accessories." she said. She had another little bag and she gave him a winged necklace, studded bracelet, and silver ones, and a scarf. She stared at his hair before deciding on putting a bow in his hair too.

She stepped back to appreciate her work, "Wow I do good work." she smiled. "You look damn good Winchester." she praised with a laugh. She peeked out of the door to see Castiel coming into the room, "Hey, I'm done. So you guys ready to see Deanna?" she grinned. They all stood up and sat up straighter and turned their attention to the door.

Charlie stepped out first, "C'mon! You look hot!" she bounced, not dragging Dean out.

Dean let out a heavy sigh and gave Charlie ones at withering look before following her out. If nothing else, he was fairly sure the makeup on his face was covering most of the blush that had risen across his face.

"Alright, c'mon, get your smart ass comments out in the open." He said with a roll of his eyes.

They were all silent for a second, before Gabriel let out a wolf whistle. "Ow, Dean makes a sexy lady." he laughed.

Sam was laughing, lying back on the bed. "I think-I think, oh my god! Why does it look so good on him?!" he laughed. "I think that we all can secretly fit into women clothes." he finally got out.

Kevin chuckled, "Dean you have some seriously nice legs, are you sure you aren't a women?" he laughed at the end.

Charlie looked pleased, "He's a sexy thing, I can say that for sure." she smiled.

Castiel tipped his head a little to the side, "It suits you in a way. You look very beautiful Dean." he smiled. "Though it's a little upsetting that you're more than 4 inches taller than me now." he said.

Dean huffed, ignoring Sam practically dying from laughter. "Don't worry Cas, I don't think I'm gonna make heels part of my wardrobe." He said. "And yeah, you're right, it's weird being told you look hot as a chick. Now how long do I have to stay like this?"

Gabriel took a picture of Dean and chuckled, he put his phone away quickly after he took it. Charlie hummed, "Just for a little longer. You can take off the heels though so you can go be kind of even in height with your boyfriend." she laughed. "Ah I'm so jealous that you look that good but then again you don't have boobs." she said.

Kevin laughed, "He's a little too intimidating and muscular." he said.

Sam finally breathed out, sitting up. "Oh god." he said. "You look really nice Dean. You should be proud." he chuckled.

"Good, intimidating as muscular is good. And I should be proud of looking good in women's clothes? Sure." Dean replied sarcastically, immediately taking off the heels and going over to Cas. "Jeez, I don't know how girls wear those things. They're definitely some form of torture."

Charlie laughed, "They are, but they look good don't they? Being a female isn't easy let me tell you." she said. "You guys are lucky." she sighed.

Kevin laughed, "Thank god we are, I wouldn't want to deal with half the shit you guys go through. Seriously do you do you makeup like that every day?" he asked.

"No, only when I want to look nice." she said. "Some girls do." she said.

Sam chuckled, "It's fine, you look nice without makeup." he said.

Charlie smiled, "Aw you're such a sweetheart. Can I dress you up?" she asked.

"Nope." Sam replied.

Castiel looked at Dean fondly, "You're very pretty, I should be jealous you make a prettier female than I do, but I accept that." he chuckled.

"Too bad there aren't enough of us to hold Gigantor over there down." Dean said with a grin. "And don't worry, you were the prettiest guy dressed as a girl I'd ever seen." He told Cas with a laugh, thinking of how ridiculous it sounded.

Castiel chuckled, "Are you saying I could woo you as a female?" he asked. "Also I accept that odd compliment. You are quite attractive yourself this way or the other way." he smiled. "Though I prefer to keep our heights relatively the same, I would not enjoy you towering over me. I would have a hard time reaching to kiss you." he said.

Kevin looked over at the, "Must they be lovey dovey everywhere?" he asked.

Gabriel laughed, "I don't think he's flirting with Dean intentionally. He's really just saying what's on his mind. It's a certain thing about Cassie, He's very truthful and says everything straight forwardly. It's an annoying yet endearing trait." he explained.

Sam hummed, "That means that Dean would actually be the one that's flirting back intentionally." he said.

"I think they're cute. It's like a fairy tale and I'm going to always pretend it is so don't ruin it for me." Charlie told them.

Sam laughed, "Why are you thinking that of them?" he asked.

"Well no gay couples are out there in our school or any gay kids really come out and say it and Castiel comes in first day and throws the school into chaos. Good and bad. Kids are becoming more open but the others are pushing back more, so they need an iconic pair that will show the others that it's okay to be gay and love who they love. Ah, the perils of love and fighting to keep it together." she said.

Kevin arched a brow, "Wow. I didn't think it was that serious." he said.

"Only gay love can pierce the veil of bullying." Gabriel snorted. "Oh my god, that's too good." he said.

"You can go get changed now Dean." She laughed. "I think we are done now."

Dean was holding Castiel lightly and gesturing to his made up face. "I'm a painted whore." When Charlie said he could go change he let go of Cas and went to the bathroom. He came back out again in his clothes, face scrubbed clean. "That's better." He breathed, going to Cas again.

"You were pretty! I could have hooked you up with some guy." Charlie joked.

"Please don't try to pair Dean with another male." Castiel told Charlie before he smiled at Dean, "I think you look nice either way." He said.

"Thanks, Cas." Dean grinned over at him.

Kevin sighed, "So what? Are we going to spend the rest of the time talking about this?" He asked.

"Well we could, but we can stay up and talk about nothing." Charlie laughed. "Sounds like a girl sleep over. What do guys normally do?" She asked.

"Watch tv." Sam replied. "I'm not really sure on what to do." He chuckled.

"Yeah, we're don't know a whole lot about this. I'm up for whatever, as long as I can keep my own clothes on." Dean replied.

"Oh darn, you ruined all my plans to get you naked." Charlie said sarcastically.

"We could watch more movies till we all fall asleep." Sam offered. "I wouldn't want you guys to have a chance to talk or make up questions to ask each other. I would be worried." He chuckled.

Kevin nodded, "Mostly getting to know some of you, that would be an awkward and personal really fast."

Gabriel walked over to the bed, "Fine, we'll go cliché. I say for pillow fights!"

He hit Sam with a pillow and Sam glared at him, snatching a pillow and hitting Gabriel. Gabriel laughed, throwing pillows at everyone. Kevin chuckled, picking up a pillow. He hit Dean in the leg before he scrambled upwards to flee. Charlie hit Kevin and laughed.

Gabriel hit Castiel in the face, "C'mon Cassie! Play with us!" He grinned.

Castiel snatched a pillow and hit Gabriel in the face. "I am playing!" He laughed.

Dean grabbed a couple of pillows, chasing after Kevin for revenge. He started whacking at them, chucking a pillow at Kevin when he couldn't reach him and hitting at Sam with a laugh. "You guys are going down."

Sam laughed, "Yeah alright." He said, grabbing another pillow and hitting Dean repeatedly.

Kevin popped back in and started hitting Dean too. Castiel laughed at them as he watched as Charlie came over and hit him. Castiel looked back at her and hit her. Gabriel laughed, jumping into Dean. "Dean pile!" He yelled.

Sam glomped Dean, making them fall over. Kevin laughed before flopping down onto them. Charlie pulled Castiel and they all laid on Dean. They all laughed and looked at Dean. "So...how does it feel to be a bottom?" Gabriel laughed.

"Oh my god." Sam rolled his eyes.

Kevin chuckled, "You would." He said.

"Oof!" Dean huffed as more people piled on. "Oh shut up Gabriel." He laughed, which turned into more of a wheezing from the weight of everyone on him.

Gabriel laughed, "I think we should sleep now. Just lying on top of Dean." He said.

Sam chuckled, "He would be a pancake in the morning." He added.

Kevin scoffed, "Good. We can eat him." He offered.

Charlie giggled, "Dean pancake? Yum." She said.

Castiel chuckled, "I should be worried that you guys are possibly contemplating to eat my partner." He said.

"But you can eat him, but not eat him. You can swallow him." Gabriel offered.

"Oh God! You're so gross!" Sam sat up and shoved Gabriel off.

"Can't help it. I have sexy imagination." Gabriel waggled his eyebrows before laughing.

Charlie laughed, "I think we know." She said before she sat up too as did Kevin. Castiel got up and looked down at Dean and offered him a hand up.

"Jeez you guys are heavy." Dean complained as he took Cas's hand gratefully, groaning as he stood up. "And I don't need to know about your imagination for Cas and me." He said to Gabriel with a chuckle, dusting himself off.

Gabriel arched a brow, "What makes you think I was thinking of you two? That's like a libido drop to think of Cassie like that. I'm just making suggestions." He replied.

Charlie stopped, "So wait. What were you thinking about then?" She asked.

Gabriel laughed, "I swing both ways sweetheart, got enough experience under my belt and I mean that sexually too." He smirked.

"Well then. This hasn't gotten awkward or anything." Kevin commented.

"Aww c'mon Kevin. Gimme a kiss." Gabriel laughed, cupping his face and pulling him in and making exaggerated kissing sounds and puckering his lips.

Kevin grabbed Gabriel's face, stopping him and pushing back as he turned his face. He screeched, "You're so gross! Gabriel is trying to violate me!" He panicked.

Charlie laughed, "Just let it happen." She said.

Sam scrunched his face, "Fight on Kevin!" He cheered.

Gabriel finally kissed Kevin on the cheek since he was stronger than he was. He grinned and laughed. Kevin scrunched his face and wiped it with his shirt. "That's so gross! You spit all over me!" He whined.

"Good." Gabriel snickered. "Moose over here is too big for me to hassle, so he's lucky." He said.

"Oh I'll just thank my lucky stars then." Sam laughed.

"Yeah, definitely learning more about you than I needed to." Dean said, laughing at Kevin's face when Gabriel kissed him. "Being a giant has a perks, at least."

Sam laughed, "It does." He said.

Kevin pouted, "Yeah I wish I grew taller." He huffed, "Ew. Now my face feels gross." He said.

Charlie laughed, ruffling his hair. "Aww Kevin, it's okay you're still cute this size." She smiled, smooshing him.

Kevin made a grunt sound as Charlie squeezed him tightly. "I don't think I'm enjoying all this affection." He wheezed out.

Charlie let him go, "Fine. I'll just take my affection elsewhere." She turned. She hugged Castiel's head, "He's just as cute, cuter than you." She stuck her tongue out at Kevin, nuzzling against Castiel's head.

Castiel arched a brow, chuckling a little. "I don't understand how this has happened but okay." He said.

"Yeah, he is cuter, but he's already taken." Dean said to Charlie with a laugh. "And Kevin, does it feel like you got a layer of sugar on your face now?" He joked.

Charlie squeezed Castiel, "So? He's mine currently. Who's the cutest unicorn in the whole wide world?" She asked.

"...I'm the cutest unicorn the whole wide world?" Castiel said slowly.

Charlie squealed, "You're so cute!" She said.

Kevin looked at Dean, "I'll take that literally. He's like made of sugar." He said.

Sam laughed, "Charlie I think you're squishing him." He said.

Castiel chuckled, "I'm okay." He said but grunted as Charlie squeezed him, "Not good enough." She laughed.

"Hey, hey, don't crush him." Dean chuckled. "I guess I don't mind sharing him with a lesbian. Only a little though." He added, warning jokingly.

"What do you clarify as a little?" Kevin asked.

Charlie eased up on her grasp, "You would share? How sweet of you." She said.

Castiel chuckled, "May I go now?" He asked.

Charlie let him go, "I suppose." She laughed. Castiel walked over to Dean, standing next to him.

Sam looked at them, "We are just an odd group." He laughed.

Gabriel grinned, "Odd is always better. It makes life interesting." He said. "So who wants to make a giant fort that we can lay under?" He asked.

Dean grinned, snaking his arm around Cas's waist. "Glad to have you back." He perked up at Gabriel's suggestion. "Sounds good to me!"

Castiel smiled at Dean. He leaned up and kissed his cheek. Gabriel grinned and went to the closet and grabbed all the sheets and pillows and blankets and plopped them onto the ground. "I'm going to go look for more things. You guys go get started." He said.

Charlie smiled, "Ah, it's great you guys have money." She laughed. "These pillows are so soft." She squished them.

"You just care about the pillows? Not like the size of the room or anything?" Kevin chuckled.

"Course not, pillows are fantastic." She replied.

Sam grabbed the sheets, "Let's get started then." He said, "Let's make something like a tent." He smiled.

Charlie perked, "Okay! How are we going to get it to stand though?" She asked.

Castiel hummed, "Tape?" He offered.

"Oh, yeah, tape sounds like a good start." Dean replied, glancing down at Cas. "I've never made a fort, but that seems like a good idea. Tape it to the wall?"

"I suppose. It would make it stand up." Castiel replied.

Kevin laid down a few blankets onto the ground to make it plush. Charlie was putting down pillows everywhere and Sam looked at Dean to come help him with the sheets. Castiel went to go get the tape and give it to them.

Gabriel came back and dropped more stuff in and smiled, "You guys did a lot of work." He said.

Dean helped Sam hold up the sheet, taking the tape from Cas and securing it to the wall. "Yeah, this is gonna be a pretty awesome fort. You guys have a lot of good pillows and stuff." He chuckled as Gabriel brought in more stuff.

Castiel nodded, "I'm excited to see this when we're done." He said.

Kevin took all the blankets and set them accordingly. Charlie grinned, laying on them. "This is really soft." She said.

Gabriel helped with the last of the sheets and grinned, "Looks good." He said. "Good work." He praised.

Dean stepped back and grinned. "We did pretty good." He said, plopping down on a pile of pillows and blankets. "Damn this is comfy. You might not be able to get me out of here." He said with a chuckle.

Castiel lied down next to Dean. "This is very comfy." He said. He curled up next to Dean, getting tired again.

Sam lied down, putting his hands behind his head, "Yeah this was a good idea." He smiled.

Gabriel turned down the light, so it's darker but you could still see. "I want to lay on the moose!" He said, sprawling out onto Sam.

"Oof." Sam grunted. "Well then." He said.

Charlie lied down next to Sam, laying in him too. Kevin lied next to her. She pulled him close, "Come snuggle. Snuggling is good." She laughed.

Sam laughed, "Yeah it seems like you guys want to cuddle me." He said.

"You're really comfy." They said.

Charlie yawned, "Yeah I'm tired now. Sam if something scary happens, you're protecting us." She said.

Sam laughed, "Maybe." He replied.

"Yeah you're the official protector." Dean chuckled and wrapped his arm around Cas, settling in around him. The warmth and comfiness made him drowsy and he felt relaxed with Cas beside him.

They all mumbled their goodnight. Charlie grabbed a blanket and put it over Kevin and her and a little bit of Sam. Gabriel had one draped onto Sam and himself. Castiel pulled one blanket up putting it over Dean and himself. He curled in closer with Dean, tangling their legs a little.

"Goodnight Dean..." He said softly.

Dean pressed a soft kiss against the top of his head. "G'night, Cas." He murmured contentedly.


	6. Let Me Teach You A Few Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the sleepover, Dean and Castiel have another day together. A few things come up but they'll work it out together.

Tomorrow morning, Gabriel was the first to wake up. He looked over at the group, letting out a soft breath. He stretched and slowly got up, covering Sam and them up before he looked over at Dean and Castiel. Dean had his head resting on Castiel's while Castiel was curled into him. Gabriel chuckled lightly before walking toward the door. He opened it to see Anna. She looked at him them over his shoulder to the group. They exchanged a few words before he glanced back at them and closed the door quietly.

Castiel was the next to wake up, not long after Gabriel left. He slowly blinked awake, stretching out slightly. He looked at Dean who was wrapped around him, he was sleeping peacefully. Castiel smiled a little, kissing Dean's cheek before slowly getting up. He pulled the blankets back over Dean and started toward the door to go get food ready. He saw Gabriel and Anna once he opened the door. They both looked at him and called him out. Castiel looked back at Dean before leaving like Gabriel did.

Dean woke up a little while later, yawning and glancing down at where he thought Cas would be. He frowned when he saw that Cas was gone, wondering if he'd gone to make breakfast until he realized Gabriel was gone too. He tried to tell himself that they were probably just in the kitchen, but it didn't help the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he stood up, walking towards the kitchen in hopes of finding them.

Sam, Charlie, and Kevin were still asleep. They curled into each other not knowing that half of them left. Dean had come downstairs and Gabriel, Anna, and Castiel were in the kitchen, talking rapidly and quietly.

"What are we going to do?" Gabriel sighed.

"There's nothing we can do. We just wait it out to see what happens." Anna replied.

Castiel was sitting at the table having his hands clasped upon it. "I don't understand why. Why now?" He asked.

"I'm not even sure myself, but something is shifting in the company. I can tell, it's being done underground but they aren't as secretive as they think." Anna told him.

Gabriel ran a hand across his face, "God this just gets worse." He mumbled.

Dean hesitated outside of the kitchen, catching some of what they were saying before he cautiously walked in. He knew he didn't really belong there and didn't have any place to intrude in their family matters, but he had to know what was happening. He thought of Gabriel's warning and he could feel a weight in his stomach, dreading about what they might say. "Hey, is something up?" He asked, mainly directed at Cas. Castiel looked up at Dean, opening his mouth to reply.

Anna put a hand in front of him, "No. It's fine, there's nothing to be concerned about." She said. Castiel closed his mouth and glanced at Dean before he looked down. Gabriel looked at Anna, they exchanged a few words in Greek to talk about this later.

"I'm sorry Dean." Anna said, "But maybe it would be best if you left this morning. Castiel can come visit you later in the day. We just need him for right now." She told him.

Gabriel sighed, "We could have done this later." He mumbled under his breath.

"Now Gabriel. There's no point in wasting time." She said.

"He has company." He hissed lowly.

Anna looked at him, "He can see him later." She replied.

Gabriel sighed before looking at Dean, he eased the frustration out of his face. "Sorry Dean, we'll make it up to you. You guys can leave the stuff upstairs. We'll clean it." He said.

Dean looked at Cas before glancing over at Gabriel. "Yeah, no, it's fine." He replied flatly despite the gnawing fear of what was going on. "I'll wake up the others and get out of your hair. Talk to you later Cas?" He asked hopefully, edging back towards the kitchen door.

Castiel stood up, going around. "I'll walk you out." he said.

Anna didn't bother stopping him, he was going to have to stay regardless so might as well allow him to walk Dean out. Gabriel sighed, sitting down in the chair. Castiel took Dean's hand and walked them back upstairs.

"I'm sorry Dean. I can't really explain it yet, but I will later. I promise." he said.

"It's okay, I get it." Dean sighed. "Just let me know when you can, okay?" He said, trying not to sound paranoid. He gave Cas's hand a light squeeze as they made their way back to the others. He still didn't want to go, but he knew it wasn't up to Cas and he didn't want to stress him out anymore.

Castiel nodded slightly. "Of course." He said. He opened the door of the room and they were still there, oblivious to the situation. Castiel lead Dean in for a moment but didn't wake them up yet. He looked up at Dean, sighing softly. "I'll come visit later if you want me to." He said. He stared at Dean a little before he touched his cheek and leaned up to kiss him.

Dean leaned into his touch slightly, kissing Cas back. "Yeah, that'd be great." He replied softly, kissing him again to prolong the moment.

Castiel returned his kiss, briefly. He stroked a hand in Dean's hair before he pulled away. "I'm sorry, but you have to go." He said softly. He let go of Dean before going over to the three and nudging then. "Sam, wake up. Charlie, Kevin. You guys should wake up." He said.

Kevin lightly stirred, "Is it morning?" He asked, rubbing his eyes. He blinked to adjust. "Oh. Morning." He said.

Sam stretched his arms, "What? What's happening?" He asked, glancing around.

Charlie groaned, "Why are you moving? I was so comfortable." She whined.

"I'm sorry. I'm going to need you guys to leave." Castiel told them.

Charlie quickly sat up, "What? Why?" She asked bewildered.

"I'm sorry, I can't really say." Castiel replied.

Kevin looked at him, "Did we do something wrong?" He asked.

Castiel shook his head. "No. I can't explain." He sighed.

"C'mon guys, we gotta get out of the way. I'll give a lift if you need one." Dean said, trying to get them up and out. He tried not to look as disheartened as he felt, focusing on getting the others up instead of whatever was going on.

Sam didn't say anything but looked around, "What about the pillows and stuff?" He gestured.

"Leave them. It's fine." Castiel replied. Charlie sighed, getting up and gathering her things.

Kevin looked at Dean, "I would probably need a ride." He said.

Charlie looked over at him, "I can give you one." She said. They were all kind of standing there awkwardly.

"I'm sorry." Castiel said softly. "I can explain later."

Sam nodded and opened the door to leave first, he was followed by Kevin, then Charlie. Dean was the last to go and Castiel followed after him.

Dean followed them out, pausing by the door as Sam slid in the passenger side. "So I guess I'll talk to you later, then. Hope it all goes okay." He added with a slight smile, opening the door.

Castiel nodded, "It will. I'll come see you later." He said. He looked at Dean with a small smile, "Goodbye Dean." He waved. He stepped aside to let him get in and go.

Dean slid into the car and started it, glancing back at Cas in the rearview mirror as he drove away. He silently hoped Sam wouldn't start asking questions about what was going on.

Sam glanced at Dean, "Do you want to talk about this?" He asked. "I mean it's not really our business but you look upset." He said.

"I'm fine." Dean replied automatically, glancing sideways at Sam. "I just wanna know what's going on." He admitted. "But I'm sure it'll all be fine." He added, not wanting him to be worried too.

Sam looked at Dean, not really buying that. "Okay..." he said. "I'm curious on what is going on too. Cas sure is mysterious and his family too." he commented.

"Yeah, their family has a lot of issues apparently." Dean half shrugged. "I don't know. The way Cas and Gabriel talk about them, they seem totally insane."

"Maybe they aren't exaggerating like we thought they were. Maybe they really are insane and stuff. I mean our family isn't sunshine and rainbows either but they seem to have a lot more problems than we do." Sam replied.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, it's a lot more serious than I'd thought at first." He replied. "It's gotta be tough, living like that. Most of your family treating you like a pawn." He frowned, wishing there was more he could do for Cas.

"It probably is. And it's stressful. I don't know how Cas does it." Sam sighed. "We'll see him later, for sure." he said to Dean. "He'll probably tell us, hopefully."

"Yeah, I'm sure he will." Dean replied with more confidence than he felt. He knew Cas would if he could, but he couldn't stop thinking about Gabriel's warning. Would they make Cas come with them? Would he even have a choice? "And if he needs help, we're here for him."

"Yeah of course Dean. I would want to help Cas just as much as you." Sam replied.

Sam would never compare to Dean in trying to help Cas but he would do what he could to help him. Cas was their friend and he was also something really special to Dean. He was determined to keep whatever it was to keep Dean happy. He's never seen him act like how he does around Cas and we wants to keep it that way for him. He knew that Dean was putting up a front. He always did when things went wrong. Sam was kind of thankful he did when he was younger because it calmed him but now he knows better and he just wants Dean to tell him instead of this confident, hard facade he does.

"We all will Dean. All of us are willing to help Cas." he said.

Dean nodded slightly, though he didn't feel any better. Of course they'd all do whatever they could to help Cas- unless he and the rest of his family just vanished without a trace left behind.

"We'll just have to see what he says later. Hopefully he'll tell us soon." He replied simply.

Sam nodded, accepting that answer. He knew that Dean was worried but didn't push anymore on the conservation. They soon arrived at home, just waiting around for Cas. Sam turned on the tv to watch while they waited anxiously. A few hours later there was a light knock on their door and Dean answered it immediately.

Castiel looked at Dean, "Hello Dean. Sam. May I come in?" He asked. He looked a little weary but not much of any other emotions.

"Yeah, of course, c'mon in." Dean replied, stepping back to let him in. He searched Cas's face for some idea of what was going on, but he couldn't read his features. "So what's going on?" He asked as Cas came in.

Castiel stepped inside, he saw Sam turn off the tv to listen. Castiel looked down then up at Dean. "Lucifer is coming home." He said.

"Wait the brother that got kicked out?" Sam interrupted.

"He disobeyed, but essentially yes. I don't know why he is coming home but because he is so is Michael." Castiel told them.

Dean frowned, not liking the sound of that in the least. "So what does that mean for you?" He asked, having a feeling he wasn't going to like the answer. If Michael was coming home, things might be even worse than with just Raphael. If he could remember correctly, it was because of Michael that Raphael came back.

Castiel twisted his fingers, "I don't know. He dismissed me last time I even saw him and I haven't seen him since...I don't really know what's going to happen Dean. I'm sorry I can't say much." He said.

Deans features softened, realizing this must be a lot harder for Cas than it was for him. He caught his fingers in his hand reassuringly. "It's alright, it's not your fault. I'm sure it'll all be fine." He said as optimistically as he could manage.

Castiel relaxed slightly, "I really hope so... I haven't seen Lucifer or Michael in years." He said.

"Don't they come home for holidays?" Sam asked.

Castiel shook his head, "It's just me. No one else comes home." He replied.

"Not even Gabriel?" Sam arched a brow.

Castiel shook his head, "He always has previous arrangements to attend to." He told him.

"Wow." Sam said plainly. He couldn't believe how disconnected their family was. They were practically strangers.

"Well, they're coming home now. But if they're gone by the holidays, you can still come over here if you want. I don't think Sam or Bobby'll mind." Dean offered, glancing over at Sam. "But that's a while away, I guess. Do you know when they're coming?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah, if you want to spend it with us, it'll be totally fine with us." He said.

Castiel smiled a little before Dean asked his question. "That's no specific date they said they were going to arrive. It could be tomorrow or next month. I wouldn't know. I'll just have to wait and see and hope I'm prepared for the worst of it, if it gets down to it." He said. "I'm sorry you two are involved, I shouldn't have put that burden on you two." He apologized. He looked down at Dean's fingers, lightly squeezing them. "Also for making you leave without an explanation, that was rude of us. I'm sorry." He added.

"Stop apologizing. It's not your fault." Sam replied.

Dean nodded in agreement with Sam. "We get it, it's fine. It's really not your fault, so you don't need to apologize." He told Cas. "And I guess we'll just have to wait. That's gonna suck though, the not knowing." He added with a slightly bitter smile.

Sam looked away, not saying anything. Castiel caught tension of the room, "...You have experience of this." then he remembered. Dean had told him that he would occasionally leave him as a child to handle Sam and he took care of him alone. Castiel adjusted his hand and held Dean's hand. He squeezed it.

Sam saw the change in gesture, "He knows?" He asked in surprise. "You told him about dad?" He said incredulously.

Dean glanced over at Sam. "Uh, yeah." He replied somewhat uncertainly, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal. He'd never told anyone else about their dad, but he didn't want to make a big deal about it, though he knew Sam would think it was.

Sam just stared at Dean for a moment before he looked at Cas, then at their hands. He couldn't believe it, Dean had told Cas what he couldn't tell him for most of his life. Dean still didn't tell him a lot of things, yet Cas comes along and he's already this far involved. It suddenly worried him, what if Dean is becoming attached to Cas too quickly? What if this goes wrong? Then Dean would be crushed. Sam thought about Dean just becoming attached to Cas really fast because someone had given him a chance but Dean was never one to let go of a facade. He always put up a front, no matter who it was. He wondered that maybe Cas is really something special, but that would only mean that they would need to help him even more. Dean had opened up to someone, sadly not to him, but it's something. Sam didn't know if he should ask questions but Dean is pushing it off like he normally did. Sam sighed internally. He got up, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah well whatever. I'm just going to go upstairs then, get out of your hair." He said.

Dean frowned slightly at Sam's hesitation- he definitely thought this was a big deal- but he was relieved when he didn't comment. "Oh, okay, cool." He replied awkwardly, ready to move on from the moment. He wasn't sure if Cas realized the significance of Dean telling him about their dad, but part of him hoped not. He really didn't want to make a big deal about it.

Castiel looked up at Dean after Sam left. "You don't talk much of your father do you?" He inquired. "I don't mean to probe and pry, but you both become tense and by Sam's reaction, I don't believe you have talked to him about it have you?" He asked.

"Ah, no, not really." Dean replied after a slight pause. He let out a breath. "I dunno, I guess I owe it to him to talk about it at some point, but... It's just easier to ignore, pretend it never happened." He admitted. He'd always put on a brave face and pretended nothing was wrong for Sam, as if that would make it better or make him happier in the long run. He's been doing it for so long that he sometimes forget that he doesn't have to anymore.

"But if you never talk of it, he won't ever grow. He probably wants to know. As a kid it would have been good not to tell him but now he's older, he will understand. You don't need to bare the burden alone anymore, you can talk to him. You don't need to deal with it by yourself." Castiel told him. "He's here for you. As am I." He said.

Dean ran his free hand through his hair. "You're right, he deserves to know. I just don't want him to have to worry about it." He sighed. "I'll talk to him, though. I can't protect him forever." He said, though he didn't like admitting it.

"There's nothing wrong with being protective. You said you have basically raised him. That would make you feel more protective than the average brother. Talking to him would be good, it's wrong keep him in the shadows. He won't fully develop and take the world correctly if you shield him from the bad. You've been a good brother but you have to let him grow up too." Castiel looked up at him, gently touching his cheek. "Sam is probably curious about what happened, but that's the past. He might worry about it that it's something he doesn't know but probably worries about you more that you have to face it alone." He said.

"You're right, I know you are." Dean replied, looking down at their hands before meeting Cas's eyes. "Thanks, by the way. You're dealing with all of your family plus helping me out with mine. And I was planning on trying to help you." He smiled slightly.

Castiel smiled a little, "We deal with what we can at the moment and think about the others later. They are still going to be there if you put it aside and not think of it." He said. "My family won't change regardless, you can help yours. Better now than later."

"Like /now/ now?" Dean asked, slightly surprised. He knew he needed to and sooner was better than later, but... Now? He felt an odd nervousness, which he knew was ridiculous. It was just talking to Sam.

Castiel looked at Dean, tilting his head to the side a little. "Maybe not right this second if you don't want, but the longer you wait the more likely you won't do it. You'll talk yourself out of it." He said. He squeezed Dean's hand, "You'll be okay. He won't think anything odd of you, he'll appreciate it."

"No, you're right... As always." Dean chuckled slightly. "I probably would talk myself out of it. But how long can you stay? I can do it after you've left so you're not just sitting around and wasting time." He suggested, half wanting to spend as much time with Cas as possible and half wanting an excuse to wait.

"I don't mind waiting for you if you don't feel awkward with me waiting. I can do whatever choice you make. I'm not needed back at home after earlier." Castiel replied. "But I can leave if you want me to and come back so you can talk. I can go buy supplies to cook something." He offered.

"I think I should feel kinda guilty about having you make us food all the time but you're too good at it for me to feel bad." He said with a laugh before pausing thoughtfully. "That'd be good, though. You can get stuff and I can talk to Sam."

Castiel smiled a little, "I like cooking so don't feel bad. I enjoy doing it for you guys, I get to see you enjoy what I make. It makes me happy." He said. He touched Dean's cheek before kissing him. "Go talk to him then. I'll go buy supplies." He said.

Dean kissed him back and smiled. "You really are a unicorn. You're too good." He said, feeling more confident now. "I'll see you in a few minutes, then." He said, taking a deep breath and heading upstairs. Castiel smile a little before he left, it was definitely going to be lower than a few minutes so he figured to take his time.

Dean went over to Sam's door, knocking on it. "Hey, Sammy, can I talk to you or a second?"

Sam was laying off the side of his bed with a book. He arched a brow at Dean's voice, "Yeah, c'mon in." He said, rolling over to sit up.

Dean walked in, awkwardly hitting his palms together. "Hey. So, uh." He paused, realizing he had no idea how to bring this up. He'd never been one to start conversations like this. "I was wondering if... You have any questions about Dad or anything?" He asked, figuring he may as well just jump right in.

Sam looked up at him, surprised. He didn't understand why Dean was bringing it up now but he should be happy he is at all. "What was dad like when we were younger? Before we moved in with Bobby?" He asked.

Dean pulled up a chair, sitting down as he thought of how to word his reply. "He always wanted what was best for us, he really did." He began slowly. "But after Mom died, he fell apart. Started drinking, got fired, started doing credit card scams, and that's why we had to move around so much- so he wouldn't get caught." Dean continued, fiddling with his fingers before looking back at Sam. "He'd leave us for days at a time. I'm not even sure where he'd go all the time, just that he'd tell me to take care of you. So I did." He paused, letting Sam have a chance to speak.

Sam looked at Dean for a few moments, "Are you mad at me?" he asked. "Having to raise me all alone? You could've gone out and had friends and do things but you were stuck raising me." he said. "How did you even do it? I mean look at us. We're basically adults. We made it, because of you." he told him.

"Mad at you? Sam, you're my brother." Dean replied, incredulous that he could think that. "You're right, I could've gone out and done things and let you raise yourself, but I didn't want you to grow up like I did. But I at least had a few good years with Mom, and even though I know this wasn't what she wanted for us, I wanted to make the best of the shitty hand we got dealt." He said, feeling that he definitely hadn't made it as good as Sam deserved, but he'd given it his best shot. "I dunno how I did it- I just did. It's what I needed to do."

Sam paused for a few minutes, "What...what was she like?" he asked. He didn't remember anything of their mom, he was really young when she passed away so he didn't remember anything but just the picture they had of her. He was a bit jealous that Dean got to spend a few years with her, but he couldn't change that.

Dean hesitated, thinking back with a ghost of a smile. "She was amazing. She loved us, more than anything else. Even back then, Dad wasn't always the best guy, and she did whatever she could to protect us." He sighed softly, glancing back at Sam wistfully. "I wish you could've had more time her. I wish we all could have, actually. Our lives would definitely be different."

Sam frowned a little, "Do you hate dad Dean?" he asked. "For making you do this all alone?" he glanced up at him. "He should have stepped up and taken care of us both but he left you to do it. Doesn't that make you upset at all? You're only a few years older than me Dean. That's a lot of responsibility on a kid." he told him.

"I don't know. Sometimes I do hate him for it, sometime so think he was doing the best that he could. He wanted what was best for us too, I know he did." Dean replied quietly, shaking his head slightly. "But being upset at him never changed anything. I realized that it didn't matter how I felt about it, it was just the way things were."

"Do you ever think about it? About the past? About Mom?" Sam asked. "I sometimes wonder about it, what was mom like, what if we had a normal family, what if she hadn't died..." he told him. "I think about it sometimes, but I try not to a lot."

Dean nodded slowly. "I used to think about it all the time. I mean, we made it out pretty okay with all this, can you imagine how much better it would have been with Mom?" He smiled slightly before shaking his head. "I try not to as much now either, though. We'll never know, so I guess there's not much point in thinking about it." He said, though he still thought about it whenever he was hit with just how messed up their family was now. When the holidays came, Sam's birthday, even watching normal families on tv. He had done his best to give Sam the childhood he'd never gotten, but he knew that his best efforts weren't enough.

Sam looked at Dean at he explained, he nodded a little. "Okay." Was all he replied. His questions were answered and he was really happy Dean finally explained it, probably Castiel's doing but he expected it. "Thanks for anyways taking care of me Dean. It probably wasn't easy to do it by yourself and I'm sorry you had to do it alone." He said.

"Nah, you don't have to apologize. It wasn't always easy, but it was worth it. Your my brother- of course I took care of you. I still try to, even though you don't need it as much. Besides, I must've done a pretty good job. You turned out alright." Dean replied, grinning slightly at the end.

Sam smiled a little, "Did Cas get you to talk to me?" He asked. He knew that he did but he just wanted to see that Dean really did.

Dean blinked, slightly surprised that Sam knew that Cas had convinced him. "Yeah, how'd you know? I mean, I figured I'd talk to you eventually, but he made me realize sooner's better than later."

Sam chuckled a little, "It's kind of obvious." He said. "Cas has a really good effect on you. It's really cute." He teased with a smirk. "So how much do you like him anyways? It's only been a few weeks since you've known him." He asked.

Dean rolled his eyes at being called cute before responding. "I dunno. I mean, I like him a lot, definitely, but I don't really have anything to compare it to." He shrugged. It felt like they'd known each other for months maybe even years, not weeks.

Sam nodded, seeing more than what Dean was saying but kept quiet. They didn't realize how they really acted around each other, it almost feels like he was stepping in something personal when they talked or looked at each other. "Well where did he go anyway? Did he go home?" He asked.

"Nope, he went to the store to get stuff to make us something." Dean replied with a grin. "I'm glad he likes cooking, cause you definitely like eating what he makes." He laughed.

"Yeah, yeah. Rub it in that you have a boyfriend that cooks food." Sam rolled his eyes. "Now get out of my room, jerk." He threw a pillow at Dean.

"Hey, at least I share sometimes!" Dean protested with a grin as he stood up. "Bitch." He laughed, throwing the pillow back and ducking out before Sam could chuck something else in return. As much as he'd been dreading that, he actually felt sort of relieved after telling Sam the truth. He'd taken it better than Dean had expected.

Castiel tried the doorknob when he came back to found it open, he settled in the kitchen, setting things out and putting other things away. He heard Dean laughing not long after he came in. He smiled a little and went about in the kitchen as Dean came back.

Dean came back downstairs, surprised to see Cas back already. "Hey. So that went better than I expected." He admitted as he looked over the ingredients he bought.

Castiel smiled, "Really? What did you expect?" he asked, glancing in Dean's direction as he washed some of the food. He wanted to make chicken pasta and broccoli.

Dean glanced up at him and thought for a second. "I don't really know." He said after a moment. "I figured Sam had already figured out most of it though- he's too smart not to have seen it." He shrugged. "Well, now he definitely knows." He leaned against the counter, watching Cas. "Need me to cut anything? I'm starting to get good at it." He said with a laugh.

Castiel chuckled, after finish washing the last of the broccoli. "Yes I do, I would like you to cut the chicken, but in diagonal slices. The concept is the same but you have your hand at the end this time and you cut under it." he said. He hummed lightly, "Do you a rice cooker here?" he asked.

"Uhhh..." Dean frowned doubtfully. "Probably not." He said apologetically. "We don't exactly make a lot of rice, but when we do I think we just put in a pot or something." He shrugged.

"Hmm I can do that too, but I'll make best of what I can do." Castiel replied. He went through the fridge, taking out ingredients he hasn't used yet. He took out some carrots and he put it into the sink. He filled a pot with water, "I guess we're making some pasta then." he said. "So do you think you can cut the chicken for me or do you want me to?" he asked as he set the pot on the stove.

"Oh, right, I can do it." Dean replied, grabbing the knife and starting to slice it the way Cas had shown him.

Castiel smiled a little, keeping in close space with Dean. It was comfortable. "I'm proud of you for talking to Sam." he said as he went about. He glanced at Dean, "I know it probably wasn't that easy or that it made you nervous, but you did it." he said.

"It wasn't as bad as I'd made it out to be. So thanks for giving me a shove in the right direction." Dean chuckled. "Sam knew it was you who convinced me though. I guess it was kinda obvious, but I was still kinda surprised." He told Cas.

Castiel tipped his head to the side a little, "Was it? I didn't think it was. Maybe it was because I left." He replied. "But you're welcome Dean." He smiled.

"Well, I don't exactly tell many people about our dad. I think you're actually the first outside our family to know." Dean admitted. "Or at least the first I've told."

Castiel hummed softly, "You're the first person to know about my family as well that I have told, though I still sometimes think that was a bad idea to tell you." He said.

"Why's that?" Dean asked with a slight frown. "I mean, I know they're not exactly the Brady Bunch, but I'm glad you told me about it. That way I can at least try to help you." He said.

"My family isn't ever going to change Dean, they are too stubborn and too concerned about themselves to really want to change anything." Castiel replied. "I appreciate your concern though, it's nice to know someone worries." he looked at Dean.

"I know they won't, but I don't care. Really, Cas, as bad as they could be, you're still worth it. And even if I can't change them, I can still be here for you." Dean replied, looking up from the chicken to meet his gaze.

Castiel tilted his head a little with an affectionate look. He leaned over and gave Dean a kiss on the cheek, "Thank you Dean, that means a lot to me." he said sincerely.

"Anytime." Dean said with a grin, always enjoying Cas's little gestures of affection. "I'm about done with the chicken." He added, turning back to finish cutting it.

Castiel turned back to the pasta he cooked, "Thank you." he said. He had another small pot going, steaming the broccoli and carrots. He had turned it on low. He turned it off, deeming it to be done. He stirred the pasta around a little to keep it from sticking to the bottom then pouring it out. He ran a some cool water over it, before getting out another pan. "Okay, you can pass them to me when you're done."

Dean finished the last cut before sliding the chicken over, taking a smell of the pasta and vegetables. "I never thought broccoli could smell so good." He joked.

Castiel laughed lightly, "Maybe because you haven't cooked them right." He teased as he started seasoning the chicken lightly before putting them in the pan.

"Nope, definitely not much of a vegetable cooker." Dean replied, watching Cas finish hungrily before he grabbed plates and utensils for them.

Castiel smiled, "I know. Is Bobby here as well? Should we go call for them?" he asked.

He grabbed a few more spices for seasoning before he grabbed the vegetables and put them into one pan and lightly cooked them together. He turned off the stove when he was finished. "Okay, we can eat now." He said.

Dean sighed dramatically. "Fine, I guess I'll share if I have to." He grinned before turning, calling for Sam and Bobby.

Sam came down stairs soon after, looking at them. "Oh you really did leave and came back to cook." he commented.

Castiel nodded, "I didn't want Dean to feel bad that I was waiting and I didn't want to go home so I just left and came back." He replied. "You have something to eat now though, so please help yourself." he smiled.

Sam smiled, "Thanks Cas, Dean." he said.

Bobby came in a few minutes later, arching a brow at the food. "Wow, that smells good. I like when Dean has you over." Bobby chuckled.

"Yeah, me too." Dean replied with a grin, helping himself to a serving.

Sam scoffed lightly, "For more than one reason." he mumbled. Dean rolled his eyes at Sam's first comment, deciding not to say anything about it.

Castiel looked away, not replying to that. Sam laughed a little and grabbed a plate and served himself. Castiel waited for everyone before he got his. They all sat down together at the table and started eating.

"I seriously don't understand how you know how to cook." Sam pointed a fork at him.

Bobby glanced up from his food to Cas. "Where did you learn how to cook?" He asked curiously. "I don't think I know any adults who can cook like this, let alone teenagers."

"Cook books." Castiel replied. "I used to sit around and read anything I could get my hands on, so I just tried cooking. It was easy to replicate the food but not so much the taste so I did a lot of trial and errors to get to know each spice and I remember them accordingly. Then everything is just from memory and you just add. I can't really explain it." he explained.

Sam arched a brow, "Know each spice?" he asked.

Castiel nodded, "Tasting them to see what they taste like. Then it's easy to know why we add certain spices to certain foods." he said.

"That's pretty impressive. Course I think I tell you that every time you make something, but I'm still impressed." Bobby said.

Dean chuckled. "Yeah, I don't think the impressiveness really goes away."

Castiel smiled bashfully, "Thank you." he said. "I was raised to be a perfectionist so I only practice until I got good." he added.

"So do you try to make everything perfect? Even now?" Sam asked.

Castiel hummed softly, "I'm not sure. I do it with my studies and anything I would really like to try but I don't make it for everything. I try not to, nothing is meant to be perfect and it's a lot of stress to achieve that." he replied.

Dean nodded, thinking that if it wasn't possible to be absolutely perfect, Cas was still pretty damn close. "Seems to work out pretty good for you." He said, looking over at Cas with a smile.

Bobby saw the look pass between them and sighed, turning to Sam. "I guess I owe you ten bucks after all." He muttered. There was no way there wasn't something between the two of them.

Sam laughed, "I know, I forgot to tell you earlier that you owed me." he said. "I should have upped the stakes before I told you." he added. Castiel bit his lip, blushing.

Dean rolled his eyes good naturedly, glancing over at Cas. Bobby fished in his pocket and pulled out a bill, passing it over to Sam. "Please, I might not've thought it would happen but I'm not blind." He chuckled.

Sam laughed again, "It was obvious, you shouldn't have made that bet with me." He laughed. Castiel twiddled his fingers. He got up and started to bring his dish to the sink.

"Sorry Cas, don't mean to make you embarrassed." Sam looked after him.

"You...you aren't disgusted or anything are you?" Castiel asked softly, not looking at them. A look of shock went through all their faces.

"Of course not." Bobby told him.

"What Bobby said, no course not Cas. I mean sorry we made bets...but we aren't disgusted by the fact that there's something between you and Dean."

"Well, I don't know you as well, but I've never seen Dean look at anyone the way he does to you. Plus you two have been spending more time together than apart and you've stayed the night at each other's houses." Bobby added.

Dean brought his plate over alongside Cas. "I'm more weirded out by all the bets you guys made on us." He said, glancing back at them. "It's okay Cas. They accept you here. It's not like school." he told him that really quietly, just for them.

Castiel glanced up at Dean and nodded slightly, relaxing a bit.

Sam shrugged, "Quick way to get money." He replied. "Might as well, we have free time to guess." He added as he got up to put away his dish. "Like the glances you guys do, it's like walking into something personal where I feel like I'm intruding if I look." He said.

Dean met Cas's gaze before turning to Sam with a frown. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Bobby shook his head. "No, I definitely know what he's talking about."

Sam gestured to Bobby, "See. Not just me." He said. "Well unless you guys still need me to stick around and embarrass you guys some more, I'm going upstairs." He said. "Thanks for the food again, it was really good." He smiled before leaving. Castiel had looked away from Dean to his fingers, blushing a little. He wondered what they meant by Dean looking at him differently.

"Well I'm definitely not staying alone with you two." Bobby said, putting up his dish. "You're welcome here any time though." He added before disappearing as well.

Dean waited until they were both gone before he moved closer to Cas, cupping his hand gently under his chin and pulling his face upwards. "They're just jealous." He said with a smile, kissing him briefly.

Castiel still felt the light blush across his cheeks. He glanced around to make sure everyone was gone before he returned Dean's kiss. "But it is true that we are not exactly discreet." He said.

Dean shrugged and laughed. "Yeah, we're not. Well, not at home at least. But I guess we don't really have to be- no one seems to mind."

Castiel smiled slightly, "I suppose, but I still feel embarrassed." He said. "Should we go to your room? We are just standing in the kitchen."

"Yeah, it is a little weird." Dean replied. "And getting out of the kitchen is a good idea." He said with a smile, leading the way upstairs and to his bedroom. He closed the door behind them before plopping down on the bed.

Castiel followed him after, sitting down on the bed. "I kind of miss that fort we made, it was really comfy." He laughed lightly. "But we do have an abundance of pillows and blankets for no particular reason." He said, relaxing more now that they were alone.

"Well I was your pillow anyway, and I'm still here." Dean replied with a chuckle. "It was nice though, really comfy and warm."

Castiel smiled, "You're a really comfy pillow. I already told you that you made me feel safe so I'm more relaxed when we are such close proximity." He replied. He looked over at Dean before scooting closer to touch sides.

Dean smiled, wrapping his arm around Cas. "I like hearing that. And I definitely like being close too." He added with a grin, pulling him closer.

Castiel smiled, laughing a little. He changed around and sat on Dean's lap, straddling him. "I like sitting here preferably, I can look at you." He said. He hugged Dean, exhaling slowly. "You calm me."

Dean smiled, wrapping his arms around Cas's waist. "You do the same to me. I feel like everything's gonna work out when we're together." He breathed. "And I really hope it does all work out." He tightened his hold slightly.

Castiel let out a small breath, brushing his head next to Dean's. "I do too." He said softly. He lightly touched Dean's hair, humming. "Have you ever had longer hair than this?" He asked as he carded his fingers through it.

"Mm, sometimes I'm too lazy to get it cut and it'll get a little longer. But I don't wanna end up like Sam and his mane." Dean replied with a chuckle.

Castiel laughed softly, "I can't imagine you with long hair." He said. "I like your hair this way." He smiled. Castiel pulled back a little to look at Dean. He lightly touched his cheeks, "I like your freckles too." He said in awe. "They are scattered across your cheeks and nose and there are so many." He lightly ran his fingers on them.

Dean watched Cas's eyes as they roamed across his face, smiling slightly. He wasn't used to being looked at so closely, but he didn't mind the vulnerability with Cas. "Thanks. You always have something nice to say about me."

"Because there are always nice things to say." Castiel glanced up at Dean's gaze. He smiled a little before looking back at his face. He lightly touched his freckles before kissing his cheek. "Did you have freckles as a kid?" He asked.

"Yeah, not so many though. I got more as I grew up." Dean replied, enjoying the light feel of his fingers against his cheek and his soft kiss.

Castiel chuckled, "I wonder what you think about when I just demonstrate my affection for you." He said as he kissed Dean's eyelid. He just placed little kisses on Dean's face, smiling in between as he huffed small laughter.

Dean grinned, closing his eyes as Cas covered his face in kisses. "I like it. Makes me feel loved." He chuckled, opening his eyes and catching Cas's lips with his own.

Castiel smiled, kissing Dean back softly. "Well I do like you a lot." He said. He hugged Dean closely. "Though sometimes I feel like you would get annoyed how affectionate I am."

"Well, I have to kinda get used to it. I've never been an affectionate person and I never really got much in return, but I like it from you. Its nice." Dean replied, holding him.

"You deserve affection and then some. You deserve affection now and when you were a kid. I can't make it up to you then but I can try now." Castiel squeezed him a little, nuzzling in his shoulder.

Dean smiled softly, moving his hand to thread into the hair at the nape of his neck. "You more than make up for it. You more than make up for everything that's sucked." He said, kissing his hair.

Castiel smiled, turned his head and placed a soft kiss to Dean's neck. He sat back, looking at Dean softly. "Thank you for saying that." He said. He tipped his head a little, "I guess we're just going to talk until we find something to do." He chuckled.

"Hmm, well we don't have as many options as we did at your house. I don't have any fancy pillows or a pool, but I'm here, and you're here, so I'm sure we can think of something." Dean replied with a grin.

"Lay in bed and listening to music sounds nice, but doing anything together sounds pleasing." Castiel offered. "I can watch you work on the impala if that's what you do with your time." He said.

"You wouldn't mind standing around in the sun while I worked on a car?" Dean asked with an arched brow. "I appreciate that, but we don't have to. I'd be fine listening to music and relaxing, if you want."

"I wouldn't mind what we do really." Castiel replied. "If working on your car makes you happy, I would watch. Maybe you could teach me, which reminds me, you haven't taught me how to fight or shoot a gun yet." He said.

"Oh yeah! I forgot I told you I'd teach you. D'you wanna learn now?" Dean offered, getting sort of excited at the idea of showing Cas how to shoot.

Castiel nodded with a smile, seeing an excited glint in Dean's eye. He slowly got off of Dean's lap and stood back on the ground. "So where do you normally practice this?" he asked, feeling a stir of excitement too. He really wanted to learn to see what it was like.

Dean grinned, standing up. "We can just go out towards the back of the lot- it's far enough away that no one'll hear or call the cops or anything." He said, opening the door and leading the way downstairs. "Any preference for what kind of gun you want?" He asked, walking over to a closet and swinging open the door. Inside was a gun rack with a wide assortment of guns, from handhelds to rifles.

Castiel's eyes widened a little, "You have so many... do you hunt a lot or something?" he asked, looking them over. "I never held a gun before so I don't really know if I have a preference but probably should start small. He saw a silver handgun and reached out for it, it looked taken care of and worn. "Do you use this one a lot?" he asked, examining it carefully, making sure not to do anything wrong.

Dean grinned, enjoying Cas's surprised look. "Yeah, sometimes. My dad's a huge gun enthusiast. That's the colt- only one like that we have. Dad got it hand engraved or something special like that. Anyway, it's a good one, and you can use it if you want." He replied, taking out a glock for himself and rifling around for some ammo.

"Ah, what do you think I should use? I don't really know how to handle any type of gun. What types would be good for someone who just wants to get to know the feel and to start?" Castiel asked, watching Dean work. He set the other gun back in it's rightful place and looked back at Dean.

Dean hummed in thought, taking out a different one from the rack. "This is a sig, it's pretty good for a first time. Light, not too much kick." He said, holding it out for Cas to take. He grabbed a box of 9mm bullets before closing the door again. "Okay, let's go shoot some stuff." He said with a grin.

Castiel kept a careful hold on the gun following Dean out back. He saw Dean looking kind of happy that he was teaching him something. It made him smile. He saw Dean at ease with the guns, it was like he was in his element like when he was fixing cars.

Dean led the way to where they'd practice, out away from anything that they wouldn't want to get shot. A few tattered targets hung on the trees, and Dean lined up a few dented cans on the top of an old rusted car.

"Okay, so obviously you don't wanna point the gun at anything you don't wanna shoot once it's got ammo in, so your finger should always be off the trigger unless you're going to shoot. Just keep it pointed at the ground or the target." Dean instructed, walking back over. He took the sig and popped out the cartridge.

Dean loaded in a few bullets, setting it aside on a table nearby they kept there for shooting before he stood behind Cas and took his hand, putting his fingers around the gun and then cupping his hand under the butt of it.

"So here's how you're gonna hold it. You want to get a firm grip on it, finger off the trigger, your fingers are going to overlap. Try to get as much of your grip on it as possible." Dean adjusted Castiel's fingers so he knew how to hold it. "When you fire, it's gonna kick back, but it won't be too bad." he assured him, glancing down and moving Cas's feet slightly apart with his own foot. "There. So now all you have to do is point and shoot." He said, letting go of Cas's hands.

Castiel gripped the gun, making sure to keep it steady, not wanting to evidently hit anything he wasn't supposed to. He didn't really know how to aim so he just pointed the gun to where he thought it was going to go, he hesitated for a second before pulling the trigger. He wasn't really prepared for the recoil and wobbled a bit and he didn't even hit the thing he was aiming at. He regain composure, looking over at Dean. "I don't know how to aim or handle the recoil." He said.

"Okay, hold it up again." Dean replied, resting his chin on Cas's shoulder to have the same line of sight. "See this little knob thing at the end? It's like a sight. Line that up with what you want to hit. The two holes right in front is what you stare through and through the middle is the crosshair so you line all three up to get the shot" He said, moving Cas's arms slightly to aim for the center of one of the targets. "As for the recoil, keep your arms straight and move your left foot back just a little for better balance, tighten your shoulders a bit and keep your wrist tight to keep it from moving." he instructed.

Castiel nodded, watching how Dean explain each thing to him. He watched closely, making notes of every little detail to remember to replicate it again on his own. He followed the line of sight and took aim. He tried again, changing his posture this time. He shot the gun, hitting the outside of the target. It was better but still a little flawed. He didn't wobble this time but his hands shifted a little up when he shot it.

"That's good!" Dean praised, smiling at him. "This time, right before you pull the trigger, take a deep breath and let it out right before you pull it. When you pull the trigger, don't use your whole finger because it can jerk the gun over away from the target. Just use the first knuckle and pull it slowly. Like how you let out your breath, slow. The shot itself should surprise you in a way by how slow you pull it." he pointed out.

Castiel nodded a little, keeping his legs the same and one of his arms straight. He followed the sight toward the target, aiming it. He inhaled through the nose and slowly let it out as he pulled the trigger, he tightened his grip when he shot it so he could handle the recoil. It hit the target a little out from the center. Castiel looked back at Dean with excited eyes, "I did it!" he grinned, "I shot it!"

Dean beamed, proud of how close Cas had gotten. He took the gun, putting it on safety before he set it aside to praise Cas. "See, you're practically a natural!" He said happily, putting his hand on Cas's shoulder. "Wanna use the rest of the clip on that target and then try to hit a few cans?" He asked. "There's four bullets left in that clip."

Castiel grinned, "It's cause you taught me how." he replied. Castiel looked at the cans then the target, "I don't think I could hit the cans." he said. He looked at Dean with a smile, "Can I see you hit the them?" he asked.

Dean grinned, grabbing a few bullets and loading his glock before leaning over suddenly and kissed Cas quickly. "For luck." He said with a wink, turning and taking aim. He paused just before shooting the first one, moving more quickly down the line as he shot them each off easily.

Castiel blinked after Dean kissed him before smiling a little with a small shake of his head. He turned to watch Dean shoot the can and was completely amazed when he shot them so easily. They all fell after each other and then there were none, he looked over at Dean in awe. "That's amazing! You did it so fast and so precise!" he praised.

Dean grinned proudly, turning back to face Cas. He blew the end of the barrel and laughed, enjoying his praise. "It just takes practice. I've been doing this for years." He replied.

"How many years?" Castiel asked with interest, he was still really impressed by Dean's shooting. He couldn't believe how easy Dean made it look when it was a lot harder than that, it amazes him.

"Let's see, I guess my dad started teaching me to actually shoot when I was around seven, maybe eight, I think." Dean replied. "He showed me how to clean them and stuff before that, though."

Castiel's eyes widened, "That's about 10 years Dean. That's a decade." he remembered Dean saying that he was taught how to shoot to protect Sam, but he didn't know it was for that long. He didn't realize how long Dean has been taking care of Sam or how long his father has been leaving them to fend for themselves, it was saddening. To imagine a child taking care of his younger sibling on his own, uncertain when his father would come home, doing his best to raise his own brother. He even said that before he started to learn how to shoot, he was learning to clean them. Castiel looked at Dean, he had so many responsibilities as a child, it sounded ridiculous.

"Huh, I guess I need really thought about it being a whole decade." Dean replied with a shrug. He frowned slightly at the change in Cas's face- he almost looked sad, and Dean couldn't figure out why. "It doesn't take that long to get good, though." He added somewhat uncertainly as he set the gun to safety again and set it aside

Castiel shook his head, "No I wasn't thinking that..." he said softly. He stepped closer to Dean and hugged him. He sighed, holding Dean close. "I know that I'm just overthinking, but I don't think so. Dean you've been shooting guns since you were about 7. That's not something you should have been taught at such a young age and it being mixed in with you having to raise your brother. Where was your childhood? I had been deprived of mine since the start and I was not aware of it, but you knew of it. When did yours become a responsibility?" he asked. He squeezed Dean, feeling sad and hints of anger.

Dean blinked, surprised by the sudden hug and Cas's explanation. He returned the hug after a moment, his features softening as he realized how much Cas cared about him. "I dunno, that's just the way it was. We both got dealt pretty shitty hands when it came to having a childhood." He said with a slight smile.

Castiel sighed, still not liking that it was the way it is but he couldn't change that. He wondered a bit now on how Dean's life was growing up, his struggles, his feelings, his thoughts, how he had to pretend for Sam. It made his heart clench in pain. He put his head down on Dean, "I know." he replied. He didn't let go of Dean yet, just hugging him tightly as he slowly breathed.

Dean held him, still surprised at just how much it affected Cas. He'd been upset when hearing about Cas's childhood too, but not quite this much. "Hey, at least things are better now." He said, trying to make him feel better.

Castiel nodded a little in him, holding on for a few more moments as he calmed down a little. He looked at Dean after, "I'm sorry, I reacted a little excessively." though he didn't think he did. He just thought of how sad it was for Dean to experience such things.

"It's okay," Dean replied as he let Cas go. "It's kinda nice having someone who cares so much. Actually, it's really nice." He said with a slight smile.

Castiel smiled a little at Dean. He wanted to talk to Dean about this but right better of it for another time. "Are you going to teach me how to fight too then?" He asked. "So I can defend myself?"

Dean arched a brow and grinned. "Yeah, okay. That'd probably be a good idea. Okay, well, what d'you know right now? Anything offensive or defensive?" He asked while he unloaded the guns and set them aside to bring back into the house later.

Castiel shook his head, "I know that in a situation you cover your head to cause minimal damage to it and curl slightly when getting hit and follow the punches so they don't hurt as much." He said. "I don't really know anything offensive."

"Okay, well, let's start with just a punch then. So when you make a fist, make sure your thumb curls over the outside. Hit with your first two knuckles and lean your weight into it." Dean told him. "Wanna give it a try?" He asked, holding up his hand, palm out.

Castiel nodded, curling his fist like Dean had said. He didn't know whether his fist was supposed to be straight or turned sideways. He looked at Dean hesitantly before Dean gave him a nod to go. He squared his shoulders a bit and pulled back his fist, turning it sideways and hitting his fist in Dean's hand. He leaned his weight a little into it and kept his feet apart to keep balance.

"That's good," Dean praised. "So basically if someone's coming at you, you want to aim for their stomach first. Soft and vulnerable and stuff. So if you get them in the stomach, they'll double over and you can get them in a headlock. Just wrap your arm around their neck with your elbow at their throat." He said, leaning forward. "Okay, want to try that?" He asked, arching a brow and grinning slightly.

Castiel tipped his head a little, he nodded after a few moments knowing that he wouldn't hurt Dean. He did what Dean instructed, putting his arm around Dean's neck and kind of pulling him down. "Now what?" he asked. "Is this supposed to restrain them?" he added.

"Yeah, and while you have them like this, they're not gonna be able to get at you." Dean said, trying to reach out to Cas to demonstrate how awkward it was hit him. "And you can brace your other arm against my head and shoulder and hold onto your forearm with the hand around my neck. Then you can tighten your arm up and make the person pass out. But let's not try that one on me." He said with a slight laugh.

Castiel nodded, letting go of Dean because he understood the concept. He smiled at Dean, "Thank you. Now I feel a bit more secure with myself. Is there anything else that I should know?" He asked.

Dean thought about it, remembering the first day Cas had gotten beat up under the tree in the courtyard. "Yeah, if anyone ever tries to grab you or something, try to jab them with your elbows or kick them in the shins. Other than that," he shrugged, "You should be good, hopefully."

Castiel nodded, "Okay, Thank you Dean." he smiled. "You've taught me a lot today." he said. Now maybe he wouldn't have to rely so much on Dean, but then he would miss having Dean protect him. He looked at Dean, "You make a good teacher." he praised. "A very good fighter and an excellent shot. It amazes me."

"Well, everyone's good at something." Dean shrugged but smiled at the compliments. "But thanks, it means a lot coming from you. Of course now I don't have a whole lot else I could teach you." He said, though he knew that that wouldn't matter to Cas.

Castiel looked at Dean with a slight tilt of the head and a little bit of a disbelieving face. "You don't realize how much you really teach me do you?" he laughed a little. "Confidence, bravery, family, affection, self-worth, strength, and a lot more things. Dean, you might not notice but you've taught me a lot of things already. I haven't even been able to teach you much besides a few things about cooking. You're doing a lot more than you think you are and I feel that you should know that, you have a lot more to offer than the few things that you think." he told Dean. "You're a good person Dean, you just need to be able to see it yourself."

Dean stared at Cas for a moment, surprised as always about what Cas really thought about him. He moved closer, resting his hand on the side of Cas's neck. "You're right, I don't see it in myself. But you make it sound like it's so obvious." He hesitated, meeting Cas's gaze searchingly. "It makes me want to live up to the person you see in me, to be better than whatever it is I am."

Castiel leaned a little into the touch, looking at Dean straightforwardly. "The only way to be better than what you are now is to notice how great you really are. I'm not making these things up Dean or setting a high expectation for you. You. Are. A good person. It is very obvious to everyone around you what a great person you are." he said. "It saddens me that you don't notice it, what had made you stop from seeing your greatness. All those years of not being told that or being told otherwise. You deserve to know. So if no one else will tell you that, I will."

Dean let out a breath slowly, a warm feeling spreading in his chest. For once, he could actually believe it. Clearly if he had someone like Cas who thought so much of him, he must be doing something right. "Thank you, Cas, really. I don't know what I'd do without you, but I definitely don't want to find out."

Castiel smiled, putting his hand over Dean's and moving it up slightly to his cheek. He leaned into his hand and closed his eyes. "You're welcome Dean." He replied. "You won't be without me. We had already agreed on this." He opened his eyes again and looked at Dean with a small smile. "You're stuck with me." He chuckled softly.

Dean grinned. "Good, cause you're stuck with me too." He replied, stroking his thumb against Cas's cheek before leaning forward to kiss him softly.

Castiel smiled before returning Dean's kiss. He placed his other hand on Dean's shoulder so he could lean up to kiss him properly. Dean wrapped his arm around Cas's middle, deepening the kiss and tracing Cas's lower lip with his tongue. Castiel moved his hand from Dean's to around his neck, wanting to deepen the kiss. He lightly played with Dean's hair, moving his lips with his.

Dean pulled Cas closer, his hand sliding from his cheek to the back of his neck, his thumb stroking the hair at the nape of his neck. He ran his bottom teeth against Cas's lower lip, his desire increasing suddenly.

A shiver ran through Castiel. He pressed against Dean, pulling him down slightly as he leaned up to be closer. He lightly pulled on Dean's hair, tangling his fingers into it.

Dean leaned down willingly, keeping a firm grip around Cas. He wanted to pull Cas even closer, wanted to somehow express what he was feeling through his movements. He ran his hand down Cas's back, tracing down along his spine.

Castiel lightly moaned, he broke the kiss breathing slightly faster. He brushed by Dean's ear, pulling the side of his head with his hand and biting the spot behind his ear. He licked it lightly after, breathing. "Dean...we're outside." He said lowly. He felt a need to touch Dean so he kept placing kisses on his neck.

"So?" Dean murmured with a smirk, leaning into his kisses. "You wanna move this inside then?" He offered, not wanting to stop but knowing this wasn't exactly the place.

Castiel licked Dean's neck, brushing against him. "I don't really mind right now..." He murmured. "Just want to keep touching." He said.

Dean attempted to think about whether or not to go inside, but Cas was incredibly distracting. "No one'll come back here." He said, figuring that if they were far off enough to shoot then no one would come bother them.

Castiel pulled slightly on Dean's shirt collar to expose his neck a little. He bit down as Dean tried to think, licking the spot after. He wasn't exactly listening but understood what Dean said, he pulled back a little to look at Dean and nodded. His mind was intoxicated with all these thoughts of Dean. He leaned in again, kissing him. He tugged on Dean's hair, thinking about what he said he didn't mind roughness.

Dean moaned softly into his mouth, Cas's roughness encouraging him on. He no longer cared at all where they were, he just wanted more of Cas. His hand ran inside the hem of his shirt, tracing along the skin of his hip.

Castiel pressed against Dean closely, they were just pulling and pushing against each other to keep each other up. He licked Dean's lower lip and lightly bit it.

Dean stumbled slightly, falling backwards and catching himself with one hand, the other still around Cas and pulling him down too. His hand stung slightly from falling but Dean liked their new position more anyway.

Castiel landed on Dean, he broke the kiss stroking Dean's face as he looked up at him. He breathed against his lips, "Are you okay?" He asked. His eyes flickered down to Dean's lips before looking back up. He really liked the position they were in with him laying on Dean. He liked being pressed against him.

Dean nodded, grinning slightly. "Definitely." He murmured, propping himself up on his elbow to kiss Cas jaw, sucking on the skin but being careful not to leave a noticeable mark.

Castiel tilted his head a bit to give him more room. He held the side of Dean's head before leaning down and biting his neck again. He just kissed and bit but didn't leave marks. He had a hand pressed on Dean's chest, over his heart, feeling it beat rapidly.

Dean kept himself up with his elbow, his other hand carding through Cas's hair. The bites sent a shiver down his spine, stirring his arousal.

Castiel hummed, liking Dean touching his hair. He shifted his legs a little and hips to get more comfortable. He brushed against Dean's cock, moaning into his neck. He rolled his hips a bit, clutching onto Dean's shirt, still not at all used to the feeling of all this.

Dean pulled at Cas's leg so that he was straddling him before ducking down his chin to meet Cas's lips again. He rocked slightly against him, his hand resting on the skin of the small of Cas's back.

Castiel gasped, moaning over him. He whined softly, moving his hips against Dean's. He kissed Dean back, licking and biting to place his moans. He arched into him, pressing against him flatly.

Deans hold on Cas tightened, desire growing suddenly and he rolled to the side to switch their positions. He tugged Cas's shirt up suddenly, trailing kisses and bites up from his stomach.

Castiel was breathing quickly after Dean broke the kiss. He arched his back, moaning. He panted, squeezing his eyes shut. He felt a bit embarrassed that he was moaning shamelessly but he couldn't help it.

Dean pressed against Cas, his moaning serving to turn him on even more. He rested his hands on either side of Cas's hips, glancing up through his lashes to see Cas's reaction as he kissed and sucked at his nipples.

"Ah! Dean!" Castiel arched, he moved a hand instinctively in front of his mouth but moved it aside since Dean had told him before. He just ran it through his hair, pulling it a little. He had the other hand clutching at Dean's shoulder, balling up the shirt.

Dean grinned against Cas skin, his hand moving to caress his other nipple as he bit gently at the other. He kept himself pressed against Cas and focused on the taste and feel of him, and the sounds he made.

There were spikes of pleasures shooting through Castiel. He felt desire churning in him. His hand moved into Dean's hair, pulling the end. He didn't know what to do with his hands but he needed something to hold onto. Castiel was breathing roughly, not able to think straight.

Dean raised himself slightly off of Cas with one hand on the ground, his other moving to fumble with the button of Cas's pants for a moment before managing to unfasten them. He took his lips off of Cas's skin as he slipped his hand inside, cupping his partial erection and watching the changes on his Cas's face as he moved his hand.

Castiel gripped Dean's shoulder, gripping his shirt. "Ngh..!" His hips buckled against Dean's hand. He bit his lip, parting his legs a little. He moaned though his lip, barely opening his eyes to look back at Dean. His eyes were dark with want. Dean's eyes were almost black but they were ringed in the dark green. He shut his eyes again, arching when Dean moved his hand again.

Dean swallowed, the look Cas gave him fueling him to dispose of his own shirt and then to hook his thumbs through the loops of Cas's pants and pull them down, adjusting himself to pull them all the way off.

Castiel lifted his hips a little, helping Dean. His eyes roamed over Dean's torso, reaching out and trailing his fingers across it. He propped himself up on his elbows, pulling Dean toward him to kiss him as he let his fingers touch across his chest and stomach. He lightly bit Dean's lip, sucking on it. He could feel the slightly cooler ground against his legs, making a shudder run through him as it touched his heated skin.

Dean ran his hand uninterrupted down Cas's side and leg, just feeling his skin against his. He broke off from the kiss, meeting Cas's eyes. "You okay to... Go all the way?" He asked gruffly, definitely wanting to but not wanting to push Cas- though the look on his face made him think the answer would probably be yes.

Castiel looked up a Dean, licking the side of his lip. He nodded a little before he spoke, "I'm slightly worried about doing this on the ground but I don't want to stop." He said.

"Me neither." Dean replied, realizing he shouldn't have been so impatient. But how could he possibly be expected to wait when he /wanted/ Cas so badly? He glanced back and grabbed his discarded shirt and leather jacket, spreading them out on top of each other in an attempt to make something that Cas could lay on. "Maybe that'll help?"

Castiel laughed a little, adjusting onto it. He looked back at Dean with a small smile, "Better." He said, he parted his legs a little and opened his arms waiting for Dean to slot himself back in between him.

Dean grinned, sliding back into place in Castiel's arms. "Good." He murmured before meeting Cas's lips, fitting their bodies together again. That was a much better use for his jacket anyway, Dean figured.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean's neck, kissing him back softly before deepening the kiss. He pressed against Dean, tugging at his hair as he kissed him.

One hand rose to trace along Cas collarbone while Dean dug into his pocket with the other, fishing out a condom and small tube of lube. He set them on the ground beside them before undoing his own jeans and rocking his hips against Cas's.

Castiel clutched Dean's back, shifting his hips up and moving against him. He moaned into Dean's mouth, having that warm feeling settled in his stomach.

Dean tugged at his pants as he kissed Cas, his moan stirring the heat inside of him. Dean trailed his other hand down Cas's chest and stomach, tracing along his inner thigh.

Castiel made a whine in his throat, unconsciously tightening his legs a little before he relaxed. He didn't know what exactly Dean was doing but he felt a stir of anticipation.

Dean moved to kiss Cas's jaw, licking just below his ear. He bit the skin lightly before grabbing the lube and squeezing a good amount into his hand. "Try to relax." He murmured softly, moving Cas's legs slightly further apart. He moved slowly, circling the skin to let him know beforehand before carefully inserting one finger, kissing along his jaw.

Castiel clenched down regardless even though Dean told him otherwise, he wasn't used to the intrusion. He grabbed onto Dean's shoulder, he had moved his other hand between his legs subconsciously to get rid of the feeling. "D-Dean that...that feels weird." He said, trying to relax as he opened his eyes slightly to look at him.

"It's okay," Dean replied softly, withdrawing his finger. "It takes a little getting used to." He said, stroking Cas's cheek with his other hand. "But you can tell me to stop whenever you want." He assured him, not wanting Cas to do something he wasn't comfortable just for his sake.

Castiel looked at Dean, leaning a little against his touch, "I don't...I don't really want to stop, I'm...I'm just not used to it. It feels really different but not exactly uncomfortable." He replied. "You said it takes some time to get used to….I want to try it. If I still feel weird and uncomfortable, I'll tell you..." He said, moving his hand from his stomach over Dean's.

Dean nodded slightly. "Okay. I'll try to distract you from the weirdness until you get used to it." He replied with a small smile. He leaned in and kissed Castiel to soothe his nerves, knowing he was comfortable with this. He felt Cas relax under him so he deepened it, just taking the time to taste everything, know what areas made Castiel moan in his mouth and shiver. Dean kept kissing him until they were breathless before moving his mouth down to Cas chest, kissing and sucking at his nipples. He circled his finger around Cas's hole again, before inserting his finger slightly.

Castiel was dazed from the kissing before he moaned at Dean's teasing, he barely registered that Dean slid his finger back in. It wasn't as noticeable and uncomfortable as the first time, mostly with Dean distracting him. He clutched Dean's shoulder, balling his other hand into fist, clenching and unclenching it.

Dean took Cas's moan as a good sign, moving his finger slowly further as he continued to work with his mouth. He bit at the sensitive skin and licked it, holding Cas's hips with his free hand and lightly brushing his thumb back and forth.

Castiel made little gasps and moans, arching into Dean. The hand on his hip kept him steady, he was more relaxed than before, moving his legs apart a little. He could kind of feel it in between the shots of pleasure of Dean but at his skin and didn't mind it as much. His other hand was clutching at the shirt on the ground behind his head, Just needing something to hold.

Dean moved his finger slowly as he moved across Cas chest, entering a second one when he felt Cas relax enough. The moans and noises Cas was making made it difficult for Dean to focus, and he rocked against Cas to get some friction but this was important for Cas and he had to take his time.

Castiel was breathing rather harshly, he was getting bursts of pleasure from everywhere and he couldn't focus on anything, he was just at Dean's will. He noticed slightly when Dean inserted the second finger but it was soon unnoticed as he rocked against him. He was just a moaning mess under Dean.

Dean moved against him, his own breathing getting more and more unsteady. He forced himself to move slowly, scissoring his fingers and knowing when he'd brushed his prostate by Cas's reactions. He let Cas get somewhat used to the sensation before moving in another finger slowly.

Castiel was getting used to Dean having his fingers in him, his reactions not as much when he started. Then Dean brushed by what he knew was his prostate and he completely arched off the ground, his eyes went out of focus by the pure pleasure that ran straight through him. He let out a throaty moan, digging his fingers slightly in Dean's shoulder. His hips unconsciously moved down, trying to get the same reaction. "Dean! Ah! Dean!" He panted out.

Dean moved up to kiss his collarbone, smiling into his skin. He moved his fingers, seeking out his prostate again, wanting to hear Cas's reaction again. He fumbled off to the side to grab the condom, wanting to be ready as his arousal peaked.

Castiel moved his other hand into Dean's hair, grabbing it. He tangled his fingers into it, making sure not to pull too much. His head was thrown back, panting. He rolled his hips to Dean's fingers. It brushed by his prostate again, causing him to have a full body shiver as he moaned. He was perfectly fine with Dean's fingers in him, he just wanted to satisfy that deep feeling in his stomach. He pulled Dean up to kiss him sloppily, unable to focus much on how he was kissing. He just moaned out Dean's name as he kissed him.

Dean kissed Cas roughly before pulling back to tear open the condom with his teeth. He rolled it on quickly, feeling as though he was going to explode if he waited much longer. The sight of Cas moaning beneath him made him fumble hastily, desperate from some form of relief. He leaned forward and kissed Cas again. He took the moment to pull himself together, for Cas.

"I'll go slow okay? Just relax…" Dean told him softly as he pushed himself gently inside of Cas.

Castiel's hands scrambled to clutch onto Dean. He whimpered at the lost of Dean's fingers but squeezed his eyes shut when Dean repositioned himself. He was relaxed but not. He clenched down when Dean slowly pushed in. It still hurt and his eyes watered not used to it. He dug his nails a little into Dean's skin. "De...an. D-Dean. It hurts..." He panted out.

Dean pulled out slightly but not quite all they way. "Try to relax." He replied, kissing him gently and his hands roaming across Cas's chest. His other hand held onto Cas's hips, holding himself in the same spot until he relaxed. He kissed Castiel's forehead gently then his eyelids before his cheeks then finally his lips. His fingers gently rolled his nippes to give him some distraction.

Castiel nodded a little, letting out a shaky breath. His eyes watered, leaking a little. His attention was focused on Dean's hands, sparking little pleasures. He let out a small moan, feeling a bit more used to it after a few moments. He tried relaxing after a few moments, holding onto Dean. He looked up at him, nodding slightly once he felt he was ready.

Dean brushed away the moisture that fell from Cas's eyes and kissed his cheek softly before slowly moving into him again, giving him more time to stretch and adjust. "You're doing good." He murmured softly, kissing his cheek and jaw.

Castiel adjusted a little again, holding onto Dean. He bit down the small whimper, slowly getting over the pain. He let out a shaky breath, taking time to get used to it. He felt so full, it was a weird feeling. Dean was actually inside of him. He adjusted himself a bit to get used to the stretch and the slightly pain. After a few moments he shifted his hips a little to let Dean know he could continue.

Dean took Cas's shift as encouragement, moving with agonizing slowness to allow Cas plenty of time to get used to the feeling. He took Cas's cock in his hand as he found a slow rhythm, moving his hand along with his hips.

Castiel was extremely grateful for him being considerate of him. The pain dulled over, barely there. He felt bursts of pleasure of Dean stroking him. He looked up at Dean, "You...you can move more." He panted.

Dean nodded, letting out a moan. He doubted he would've been able to keep up the slow pace, but it was for Cas. Soon he started increasing the pace. His free hand rose to tangle in Cas's hair, biting at the skin of his neck.

Castiel gasped, feeling slightly better, having Dean bite at his neck felt good. After a little bit so did the thrusting in him. He moaned, clinging onto Dean. He shifted his hips and rolled them a little downwards.

Dean moaned softly into his skin, clutching at his hair as he started moving more quickly. He moved his hand to match his thrusts, the warm tension building in his stomach.

Castiel had one arm wrapped around Dean's neck and the other gripping his shoulder, using it to push himself down. He felt a stir in his stomach that he desperately wanted to satisfy. He was back to moaning, mewling under Dean as he moved. "D...Dean. Haa, Dean." He breathed out in between, repeating Dean's name.

Dean stifled a moan into Cas's skin, knowing they were both close. "God, Cas," he groaned, his movements becoming faster and more erratic. His hand curled into his hair, pulling at it slightly as he breathed heavily against Cas's skin.

Castiel whined, feeling the warm feeling in his stomach build and build. He knew that feeling was going to spill over soon. He gripped onto Dean, breathing harshly. He felt his movements become less controlled. He felt him shift a little and hitting his prostate in a thrust and that was all Castiel could take before he completely bowed his back, moaning out Dean's name loudly. His mind went completely blank as he was engulfed in pleasure. He gripped onto Dean, clenching down on him.

The sight of Cas coming beneath him was more than enough to drive Dean over the edge after a few more thrusts, moaning Cas's name into the skin of his neck. His hand gripped the back of his neck as he squeezed his eyes shut at the white hot pleasure coursing through him.

Castiel laid panting underneath Dean. He slowly started to refocus his eyes, gently touching Dean's neck. He kissed the top of Dean's head, loosening his grip on him. He felt so relaxed and pliant. His muscles felt like jello. He had a small satisfied smile on his face, happy he did that with Dean.

Dean leaned against Cas's chest, catching his breath. He glanced up at him and grinned, loving the flush of pleasure on Cas's cheeks and the mess of his hair. "So how was that for a first time?" He asked with a smile.

Castiel smiled at Dean, "A bit painful...but I don't regret it. I enjoyed it a lot. Though I'm a bit worried someone would have heard me..." He blushed a bit.

Dean grinned. "Well, I liked hearing you." He replied, pulling up one of Cas's hands to kiss it lightly. "But I doubt anyone else did. We're pretty far off." He assured him.

Castiel sighed a bit in relief. He smiled at Dean, slowing his breathing. "Ah, I hope I didn't ruin your clothes." He said, forgetting he was resting on them. He kind of forgot they were outside but he didn't really mind it, Dean was with him.

Dean laughed. "Don't worry about it, even if you did, it's worth it. Besides, you look good in my jacket and nothing else." He replied with a grin.

Castiel laughed a little, "I don't think you'll see this look very often unless you plan to only have intercourse outside." He said. He hummed, "...I guess that means that Sam and Kevin had won that bet?" He said.

Dean blinked and laughed. "Yeah, I guess so. That's kinda weird to think about. Well, I'm not gonna be the one to tell them, though they'll probably figure it out." He replied.

Castiel hugged Dean close, snuggling into him. He sighed happily. "We should get dressed...We can't wait till someone finds us." He laughed a little.

Dean chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He said, kissing Cas lightly before reluctantly moving off of him, discarding the used condom in its packet to throw away later. He glanced back at Cas again before standing up, sorting through the pile of clothes to hand Cas his.

Castiel sat up a bit, wincing a little. He felt sore and a weird pain in his lower area. "Dean. I feel really sore around my hips." He said. He kind of wondered how he was it going to feel once he got up and walked.

Dean glanced back at him, suddenly remembering just how little Cas knew about all of this. "Oh, you're gonna be kinda sore. Sorry, I should've warned you about that." He frowned guiltily. "We've got some painkillers back at the house though, that might help."

Castiel nodded a little, he slid his shirt back on, not really sure if he wanted to get up. Being sore and walking did not sound pleasant and it would be noticeable that he was walking a little odd to accommodate the soreness. He just slid the pants up and wiggled it around his hips, sighing once he got them up. He looked back at Dean, "What about your shirt and jacket?" he asked.

Dean pulled on his pants before turning back to Cas. He picked up his shirt and jacket and dusted them off, looking the shirt over before pulling it and the jacket on. Anything noticeable was covered by the jacket, and it was mainly just wrinkled. He frowned slightly, wishing he'd had more forethought. "D'you want a ride back?" He offered. "You can piggy back." He said with a slight smile.

Castiel smiled at the thought, "If you don't mind. I could try walking if you do." he said. He looked up at Dean, before he started to get up. He winced a little at the soreness and his legs wobbling a little. He was standing at least but it was a weird feeling.

"No way, I can't let you walk back like that." Dean replied. "I'm the one who made you sore, the least I can do is help you out a little." He said, wanting to save Cas as much discomfort as possible. He walked over to him and turned, crouching down slightly and holding his arms out behind him. "Think you can hop on?" He asked. "If not you can use the log over there, but I guess that'd be more walking."

Castiel stepped a little closer to Dean, putting his hands on his shoulder before jumping up a little but he didn't make it very far from the weird feeling below his waist.

Dean glanced back at him, "Can't make it up?" he asked.

Castiel blushed slightly, shaking his head. "Sorry...I feel weird when I jump." he said.

Dean stood back up, "No it's fine." he replied, thinking of another thing. "Uhm….if you don't mind, I can carry you in my arms." he offered.

Castiel's blush deepend, "A-Are you sure?" he stuttered. "I can try to walk." he added.

"Cas it's seriously no problem." Dean stooped down and scooped Castiel up with ease and he made a small sound of surprise. Dean grinned at him, "See? Easy." he said.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean's neck to help lift his weight up, "Oh...Okay. If it's no trouble." he murmured. "...We should lay in bed the rest of the day."

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas's legs and one on his back so he wouldn't fall, starting to walk to the house. "Lay around in bed all day? Sounds good to me." He chuckled, glancing at the guns before figuring he could get them later. "I'm glad you're not too much heavier- being able to pick you up is pretty convenient." He said with a laugh.

Castiel laughed slightly, "I was a little self conscious that I was going to be heavy for you but I remembered that you have picked me up before." He told him. "You don't think they'll question why you're carrying me or why we look disheveled?" He asked.

Dean hummed, thinking. "If they see us, I feel like they're gonna know what happened, honestly." He chuckled. "But if we're lucky we can sneak up to my room without them seeing." He replied as they approached the house.

"Do you really think we will? You are carrying me, there's nothing really inconspicuous about that. Does Sam just spend his time in his room?" Castiel asked.

"Yeah, there's a good chance he's doing something. We could say you hurt your ankle or something if you don't wanna be so obvious. It's up to you though." Dean replied, pausing by the door.

Castiel hummed, "We can, but I think they'll know." He said. "We can say that though." He smiled. He kissed the side of Dean's neck. "We'll deal with it how we do when we get inside." He said.

Dean grinned and chuckled. "Sounds good." He replied, leaning to the side and opened the door. He walked in and kicked the door closed with his foot, glancing around to see if Sam was around.

Sam or Bobby weren't in the kitchen. They sighed a little in relief. "Well this saves an explanation." Said Castiel.

They made it upstairs, thinking that they were in the clear before Sam came out of his room and looked at them. "You guys okay?" He asked. "I heard the door...and...why are you carrying him?" He had a particular face on when looking at them.

"Oh, we were outside and he tripped and hurt his ankle, so, yeah." Dean replied, adjusting his hold on Cas slightly. He watched Sam's reaction, trying to see if he bought the excuse at all.

Sam looked at him, nodding a little before he clicked his tongue. "Yeah. Okay..." He said. "Just wondering. I'll just be in my room then." He said, before going back in.

Castiel watched and looked back at Dean, "I don't think he bought it." He chuckled.

Dean laughed. "I don't either, but at least he pretended to." He replied with a grin, making his way down the hall to his own room. "Course, for the bet, he's probably glad. He bet today, didn't he?" He asked as he managed to open his door. He went over to the bed, gently setting Cas on the bed.

Castiel nodded, sitting up slightly. "Kevin and him said today." he replied. He looked up at Dean, tilting his head to the side a little. "We aren't very discreet." he laughed a little. He scooted back onto the bed to sit in the center. He opened his arms, making small grabbing motions at Dean. "Come lay with me." he smiled.

"Being discreet is overrated." Dean replied with a chuckle, happily crawling onto the bed towards Cas. He wrapped his arms around him as he fit into Cas's arms.

Castiel laughed happily, squeezing Dean. He put his head in Dean's neck and shoulder, lying down. "So we're okay with laying in bed all day." he said. It was past the afternoon, it was middle day and eventually they would have to eat dinner, if not make it.

Dean settled in next to him comfortably. "Yeah, whatever you want. I'll even try to make you dinner if you're still sore later." Dean offered. "I can't say it'll taste as good as anything you make, but it'd be food." He said with a grin.

Castiel hummed softly, "Pain pills will help soothe the soreness. I don't mind if you make food, but I can make it if I'm not as sore later." he said. He snuggled in closer to Dean, taking in his warmth. "Maybe I could instruct you how to cook something simple." he said.

"That could work. I can follow directions at least. But you can't make me so comfortable and then expect me to get up again to get pain killers." Dean complained jokingly.

Castiel laughed a little in his neck, "Did you wanted to get them now? Then you don't have to worry about them later." He offered. "Or get them later." He said. "Once I have you and I'm comfortable, I wouldn't want to let you go." He added.

"Nah, I'll get them now so they can start working." Dean replied, carefully disentangling himself from Cas. "I'll be right back." He said as he moved off the bed, heading to the door. He disappeared for a few moments, returning with a cup of water and a bottle of pills. "I dunno how much you need, so I brought the whole bottle." He said with a grin as he moved back towards Cas in the bed, handing him the cup and pills.

Castiel took the bottle and the cup after. He decided that two would be enough. "Thank you." He said, when he gave him back the bottle. He put them both in his mouth and just drank the water. He figured to give Dean the empty cup after. He handed it to him, "I didn't realize how thirsty I was until you have me water." He said. "It was definitely something I needed." He looked up at Dean, wondering if he was going to set them down and come crawl back in bed with him or go downstairs and come back.

Dean took the bottle and cup, putting them on the floor by the bed. "D'you want anything else before I get comfy?" He offered, moving back towards Cas but pausing before he laid down with him again.

"Do you have to use the bathroom?" Castiel looked at him, laughing a little. "Because I'm probably not going to let you go after." he said.

Dean laughed. "Nah, I'm good." He replied, crawling forward and laying down, wrapping his arms around Cas again. "'M already too comfortable." He murmured, pulling him close.

Castiel smiled, scooting closer and tangling his legs with Dean. He snuggled himself close, sighing in content. "Dean?" he said curiously after a few moments. "Was it weird having intercourse with a male?" he asked.

"Well, it was different." Dean replied, thinking for a moment. "But it wasn't bad, it was definitely good." He added with a chuckle. "Before you I never would've thought I'd enjoy it that much."

"So it was okay? You don't regret it? I don't." Castiel glanced up at him.

"Regret it?" Dean repeated. "Cas, that's definitely one of the things I've done that I regret the least." He assured with a small smile. "It was worth the soreness for you, then?"

Castiel nodded, "Yes. I would know that I didn't just imagine this whole scenario or I'm possibly dreaming. It shows I'm awake and a reminder of what I did with you. No. I don't regret it in the least." he replied.

Dean smiled. "Good. Course, I'm here too to prove you weren't dreaming." He added with a chuckle.

Castiel chuckled a little, he felt tired now. "I have a better knowledge on what to do now. Though there are a few things that I don't, but I get it." He said.

"Well I'd be happy to practice with you whenever you want." Dean murmured with a grin. He felt warm and comfortable, but above everything else he felt happy, content even. He couldn't think of anything he'd rather be doing.

Castiel hummed quietly before he asked another question, "What was the thing you did to me yesterday?" He asked. It was all really new, plus what they did today.

"A blow job. I figured that since it was your first time ever, it'd be a good start." Dean replied, still not even being able to comprehend how Cas had gone do long with knowing and doing so little.

"Oh. I'm going to figure that "a blow job" can only be done to males, considering that I don't think you can do that to females." Castiel deducted. "Why did you figure that was a good start? It felt really good, but why did you choose it?" He asked. "I'm not making you uncomfortable am I for asking these am I?"

"If it was anyone else, I probably would be." Dean replied with a chuckle. "But no, it's okay. I thought it'd just be good to just let you know what it felt like, without any of the pain or soreness like today." He shrugged. "Plus I just kind of... Wanted to."

Castiel smiled a little, Dean had wanted to try something on him that would be specifically done to males. He thought about it for a moment, "Can I ever do that for you?" He asked, looking up at Dean. "It's done to males and it had felt really good when you've done it to me. " He said.

"You're asking if you can give me a blow job some time?" Dean asked, looking down at Cas and breaking into a grin. "Yeah, definitely! If you want to, I'm totally cool with that." He replied.

Castiel tilted his head a little, "I wouldn't exactly know what I would be doing but I would try to replicate what you did." He said.

"There's not a whole lot you can really do that wouldn't feel good." Dean replied with a chuckle. "Some stuff's better than others, but I wouldn't be complaining."

Castiel scrunched his eyebrows together slightly, "I don't want you not to enjoy it and put up with it." He said. "It would seem only that you try to cater to my needs and I can't do the same."

"I mean that even if you don't know what you're doing, it'd still feel good to me. I'm all for you "catering to my needs"." Dean replied with a slight smile.

Castiel smiled a little, he snuggled back into Dean and squeezing him a little. "Another time then." he said. "Unless you wanted to take another trip outside." he said jokingly.

Dean laughed, tucking in his chin slightly to kiss Cas's hair. "Another time's okay with me. I'm too comfortable to give you another ride downstairs." He said with a grin.

Castiel smiled, always enjoying Dean's kisses. "I wouldn't want to get up anyway." he chuckled. "I feel less sore though. So that's good, maybe you won't need to cook dinner alone." he said.

"I really hope you can, for both our stomachs." Dean replied, laughing. "Course, we could always just order food if you don't want to move anywhere. I won't force my "cooking" on you, if you can call it cooking."

"You have had to live somehow before I came, it couldn't have been that bad." said Castiel. "We could, it doesn't really matter to me."

"It wasn't that bad before, but now I've gotten used to having actually good food." Dean replied with a grin. "If you're up to make something cool, if not we can get pizza or something."

Castiel laughed a little, "We still have a few hours, We can decide then." he said. He slowly breathed in, "You always make me feel better." he said. "I was nervous on telling you what was going to happen. That they will make you want to have nothing to do with me, but you just always take my worries and make them disappear. Like what you said when you helped me the first time. You and me against the world. Sometimes I feel like I really have that power to take on the world, if you're right next to me." he said quietly to Dean.

Dean smiled softly, a surge of affection and warmth rising in his chest at Cas's words. "Well, I'll be right next to you, helping you against the world whenever you need me." He replied. "Nothing anyone can do will change that."

"Polo sol pil nanom senaz polos ninil sil ninim. Dazi nasohil sad poha namid, polo vasi pil nadamipaz calo nilam, ral pi menan rila rilis vom sil vomamad." Castiel nuzzled into him, speaking slowly and softly. He found Dean's hand and laced them together.

Dean gave Cas's hand a gentle squeeze. "I like the way that sounded." He said, though in reality it was the way Cas had said it that he was drawn to. He'd said it trustingly, softly, with a deep sort of affection that Dean could only begin to express with a soft kiss to the back of Cas's hand. "What does it mean?"

"You by my side with your hand in mine." Castiel smiled a little as he squeezed Dean's hand. He looked up at him. "The ground at our feet, you are my strength and hope so I will not ever be in defeat." He translated. He smiled gently at Dean.

Dean shook his head slightly in wonder. He has never been great with words, but Cas had complete control over what he wanted to say and what he wanted it to mean. "I don't know how you do that," he murmured, "But it's incredible."

Castiel laughed a little, leaning up and giving Dean a small kiss. "I think it's the writer in me coming out." he said. "I sometimes feel a bit too poetic around you." he played with Dean's fingers lightly. "You must be my muse." he smiled.

"Yeah, you're definitely a writer at heart. Your muse, huh?" Dean replied with a grin. "I'm cool with that. And you make up for the fact that I'm not poetic at all." He added with a chuckle.

Castiel smiled, brushing his face against Dean's. "It's okay if you aren't I'm not bothered if you can't. Actions speak louder than words and you clearly show me that all the time. I'm better with words since I don't really know how to express my feelings through actions." he explained.

"I guess it works out pretty good then. You got the words, I got the actions." Dean replied with a smile, glad Cas didn't mind the fact that he had no idea how to say pretty much anything that he felt.

Castiel nodded, "I wouldn't think I would, what you say, swoon? If you were to wow me with just words alone." he laughed a little. "Books have built me a tolerance to words. No one has really done much for me so you going out of your way and doing things for me means a lot. Probably more than what I could muster with words."

"And I'm the opposite. Sam's the only one who reads, and talking just isn't my family's thing. So you can keep being poetic, and I'll keep doing this-" He broke off, kissing him softly with a grin.

Castiel laughed a little against the kiss, kissing him back. "I'm okay with you doing that. Probably a lot more often." he smiled, giving Dean another peck on the lips.

Dean grinned and laughed. "Good to know." He replied. "I'll be sure to do it more often then." He said, smiling and kissing his forehead, cheek, and mouth again.

Castiel giggled, smiling at Dean's soft kisses. They kind of tickled. He felt Dean kiss him back on the lips. He hugged Dean closer, filled with affection and adoration.

Dean grinned, liking the sound of Cas's giggle. He'd never thought he'd be one to be so couple-y, but he actually he really enjoyed it with Cas. He smiled fondly as Cas held him closer.

Castiel placed his head on Dean's chest, back to snuggling. He sighed with content, humming softly. "Your kisses kind of tickle." he mumbled into him with a small smile.

"Well I guess that's- wait, are you ticklish?" Dean asked, not having to hide his mischievous grin since Cas's face was again his chest.

Castiel hugged Dean closer, "No...?" he mumbled. He didn't want to look up at Dean, he could feel his thoughts and he didn't really want to know. "I'm not exactly ticklish, I didn't laugh when Gabriel tickled me before or anyone else." he said.

"Aw, not even a little?" Dean replied, his fingers moving against Cas's side lightly despite what he'd said, wanting to see how true it was.

Castiel tensed up, digging his face more into Dean and hugging him close. He made a muffled sound. He felt little goosebumps on his skin rising from Dean's fingers moving across his sides. He knew he wasn't ticklish but he didn't understand why to Dean he was. He wasn't going to say it though.

"You're not ticklish at /all/?" Dean replied, feeling Cas shift his face further against his chest. He moved his other hand too, fingers moving across the side of his stomach.

Castiel wiggled away a little, trying to stop from Dean tickling him. His shoulders shook slightly from biting down a laugh, but kept a firm hold on Dean to hide from him. He couldn't run from him so he would at least muffle his laughter.

Dean grinned, knowing Cas was definitely laughing now. "What's that, Cas? I can't understand you with your face up against my chest. Are you still saying how not ticklish you are?" He teased, moving his fingers more quickly across Cas's stomach.

Castiel shook his head against Dean, practically shaking from laughing. There was muffled laughter coming from him, not wanting to let go of Dean. He tried to move away but then he would give Dean more room to tickle him.

Dean chuckled at how hard Cas was fighting to not laugh out loud. "Aw, c'mon Cas, I know you're laughing." He grinned. "Looks like you are at least a little ticklish."

No matter how reluctant Castiel was on not laughing out loud he still had to breath. The moment he moved a little to breath Dean shifted away from him and he didn't have time to grab him. "DeeEHEHEHEHEaaaan! StahAHAP!" He laughed, he scrunched his nose a little, trying to wiggle away. "You-you're NAAHAHAt Be-being Faaaaair!" he tried to glare at him but it was fruitless with him laughing and smiling.

Dean grinned at finally getting Cas to laugh out loud. "Who ever said I was fair?" He replied, laughing at Cas's attempt to glare. He shifted so that Cas was on his back, Dean sitting up to have more leverage to tickle his sides and stomach.

Castiel swatted at Dean's hands, trying to cover his sides. He rolled onto his side, curling up as he held his sides. His face was already rosy from laughing, he tried to get away from Dean's scribbling fingers but Dean always found new spots to tickle. "NyahAHA! DEAN!" he arched away from his touch, breathing quickly.

Dean laughed, thoroughly enjoying himself. He paused, lifting his hands away from Cas to give him a chance to breath. He grinned at him, liking the flush the laughter had brought to his cheeks. "Yeah, you're right, I don't think you're ticklish either."

Castiel was breathing quickly, he glared at Dean lightly. "I'm...not...normally. I...don't...know why...with you...I am." he panted out in between breaths. He didn't let go of his sides, he stayed in his position.

"Hm, so you're only ticklish to me?" Dean asked with a smile. "That's nice to know. Oh, don't look so mad, I had to try." He added, seeing Cas's glare but not quite being able to stop grinning.

Castiel rolled his eyes, turning his head back onto the bed. "I'm upset with you Winchester. You're mean." he said in a not serious tone. He smiled a little, evening his breathing.

"Yeah, I am pretty mean." Dean grinned unapologetically, laying down beside him again. "What can I do to make it up to you then?" He asked, batting his lashes in playful remorse.

Castiel smiled a little before lightly pushing Dean. "I don't want your sympathies Winchester." he replied, before turning over away from him.

"I can't do anything to make you forgive me?" He replied, still grinning. He scooted closer, wrapping his arms around Cas. "There's gotta be something." He said, kissing the back of Cas's neck briefly.

A quick shiver ran down Castiel's spine. He huffed softly, before turning around to look at Dean. "Are you ticklish? Can I tickle you?" he asked.

"Probably not as much as you apparently are, but you can give it a shot." Dean replied, not actually knowing if he was ticklish or not. There hadn't been a whole lot of tickling in his life, unless it was him doing it to Sam when they were kids.

Castiel smiled brightly before lightly running his fingers on Dean's sides. He wiggled his fingers across his stomach and upper torso near his ribs to get a reaction.

Dean fought to keep a straight face as long as he could manage before he burst out laughing, curling his legs up slightly in a weak attempt to fend Cas off. "Okay, YEAAAaaah, I'm ticklish." He managed to say between laughs.

Castiel smiled brighter, sitting up now to fully tickle Dean. He ran his fingers up and down his sides and under his armpits, trying to find the places he was most ticklish. He scribbled his fingers across Dean's stomach, enjoying the laughter that Dean was making. He thought for a second before sneaking down to Dean's neck and blowing a raspberry against his skin.

Dean kicked out his legs uselessly against the bed, rocking over onto his side. He swatted harmlessly at Cas's hands, his eyes screwed shut. "OkAAAay, we're- we're-" he broke in another fit of laughter. "EVEN, we're even!" He gasped out.

Castiel stopped his fingers, he was smiling brightly. He chuckled a little before laying down next to Dean. He put his arms around him and laying his head between the back of Dean's neck and his shoulder. He smiled into his neck, letting Dean calm down.

Dean rubbed at his eyes which were nearly watering from laughing so hard, trying to catch his breath. "So apparently we're both ticklish then." He said after he'd calmed down a bit.

Castiel nodded, chuckling. "I forgive you though. You look adorable laughing without a care." He smiled.

"Oh no, I was definitely concerned the power'd go to your head and you wouldn't stop." He said with fake seriousness breaking cracking a grin. "But now you forgive me and we're even." Dean added, looping his arm around Cas.

Castiel laughed a little, "I didn't want you to be mad that I didn't stop. I thought of it." He said truthfully. He was still in the crevice of Dean's neck, he thought of blowing more raspberries into his skin. He smiled a little before doing them on his neck. Just doing them across his neck.

"Hey, I thought we were even!" Dean grinned and giggled, covering his mouth at the sound. He wriggled his fingers lightly below Cas's ribcage in defense.

Castiel's eyes immediately softened at Dean's giggle before he squeaked and started laughing. He did one last raspberry to Dean's neck and stopped. "Okay! I'm done." He laughed.

Dean laughed, stopping the tickling and just laying his hand flat against Cas. "Okay, okay, I'm done too." He grinned.

Castiel smiled at Dean, before scooting up a little too rest his forehead against Dean's. They were just both smiling with their arms around each other. "I think I'm okay with you ticking me. Only sometimes." He said softly, chuckling.

"Sounds good to me. Only sometimes." Dean agreed with a grin. He couldn't think of a time he'd felt so carefree and happy as he was now with Cas.

Castiel glanced at Dean, smiling a little before kissing his eyelid, his nose, his cheeks. He leaned down a little and kissed him softly. "This was really nice." He said softly.

Dean closed his eyes, enjoying his kisses before opening them to meet Cas's gaze again. "It was. I feel like a kid on tv or something." He said with a soft chuckle.

"What do you mean?" Castiel asked, he had moved his hand up from Dean's side to cup his cheek and lightly stroking his thumb across it.

"Tickling each other and stuff, just laying around and being happy or whatever." Dean replied. "I didn't think people actually did this." He added with a chuckle.

"What did you think they did?" Castiel asked, his smile dimmed a bit. He didn't like the fact that Dean had thought of what they did was only done by acting, that people were paid to do a certain thing.

Dean saw Cas's smile falter slightly and realized he'd said something to upset him. "I dunno, I guess I never really thought about it. But it's nice, I like it." He added, not wanting Cas to be unhappy.

Castiel smiled a little, but he could tell by Dean's slightly hurried response that he noticed he wasn't happy about what he had said. He just scooted closer, hugging him. "I like it too. We should do it more often." he said.

Dean relaxed slightly, glad he'd been able to make up for whatever he'd said. "I'm up for that." He replied, pressing against him gently to enjoy the pressure between them.

Castiel relaxed against Dean, he put his arm back around him and they just kind of laid there in each other's embrace. He closed his eyes, breathing softly. "Maybe we should sleep for a little bit." he said. "Before we go cook." he offered. He wasn't exactly tired, but being held by Dean made him want to curl up and sleep.

Dean grinned, curling into him slightly. "Sex, sleep, and food. Sounds like a good way to spend a Saturday." He replied with a chuckle.

Castiel nuzzled against Dean, "Is it? Maybe we should do this more often." he chuckled lightly, slowly exhaling and tangling his legs with Dean.

Dean grinned, pulling his arms around Cas. "I'd happy to do this as often as you want." He murmured, tucking in his chin slightly to kiss his temple.

Castiel smiled, breathing softly. He had closed his eyes, just listening. He could hear Dean's heartbeat softly thumping. He was completely at ease and worry free. He just hugged Dean and he was completely fine.

Dean let out a soft sigh. He was completely relaxed and he could feel himself getting drowsy. He was never more comfortable or happier than when he was with Cas, and he didn't think he'd ever be able to go back to living without him, and hopefully wouldn't have to.

They slept for a few hours before Castiel stirred awake. He rubbed his eyes a little, blinking. The room was kind of dark since they didn't turn on the lights from earlier. He glanced up at Dean, seeing as they didn't even change their position when they slept. They were still both curled around each other, face to face, legs tangled, and arms draped over each other. Castiel smiled a little at Dean's sleeping face, it made him look younger than his age. He lightly kissed Dean's cheek before settling back down. He figured he wait a little before, waking Dean up.

Dean felt the light kiss on his cheek, slowly stirring to consciousness. His eyes fluttered open to see Cas and he smiled sleepily. "Morning. Or afternoon. Whatever." He mumbled.

"It's past afternoon." Castiel chuckled a little, "But hello to you too." he replied with a smile. "We should probably start making dinner." he said, looking at Dean softly.

Dean rubbed his face, waking himself up completely. "Yeah, sounds good. You up to standing and walking?" He asked, looking over at him.

Castiel moved his hips a bit, "Yeah, I think I'll be okay." he said. "I don't really feel it anymore." he added. He kissed Dean's cheek softly before slowly sitting up. "Let go see what we can make." he glanced back at Dean before slowly getting off the bed. He stretched his arms out, feeling more stable than he did earlier.

Dean propped himself up and watched Cas stand, making sure he was okay before following him up off of the bed. He ran a hand through his bedraggled hair and smiled over at Cas as he stood. "Alright, let's go see what we can do."

Castiel smiled at Dean before they went down stairs. They pulled together some dinner out of what they could. They spent the time in the kitchen laughing softly and moving around each other. They had all sat down for dinner and they talked. Sam was looking extremely happy since he won all the bets he made and they all kind of joked and laughed. Dean getting embarrassed when Sam had told Cas some stories and even offered to show pictures. Bobby only was there to back him up on that. Castiel laughed freely and they all talked til it got kind of late. Sam had asked if Cas was going to stay and he did. They snuggled back in bed, laughing softly. They fell asleep and the morning came soon after.


	7. I Should Let You In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel opens up to Dean this chapter, sometimes people have a dark past even when you see them smiling.

Castiel was the first to blink awake as always. He looked over at Dean, who had a loose grip on his waist. He gently kissed Dean on the cheek, before settling back. He was thinking of what they should do today. He hummed softly, he knew that no one was going to be home. Maybe he should invite Dean over and show him the place he goes to when he gets sad or wanted to be alone. He smiled a bit before glancing over at Dean, waiting for him to wake up.

Dean woke a little later, smiling again as he saw Cas. "How d'you always wake up before me?" He asked blearily. He yawned, stretching out his legs. "Probably cause I'm used to sleeping til like noon."

Castiel laughed a little, "Are you saying, I'm changing your sleep schedule?" He asked. "Good morning Dean." He smiled. "I was wondering if you would like to come over today. I want to show you the dock I sit at that I told you about a few days ago." He said.

"Oh yeah, that'd be really cool." Dean replied, interested to see where it was that Cas went to get away from everyone. "I'd definitely like to see that."

Castiel smiled happily at him, "Okay, we can leave whenever you feel like it." He said. "Should we leave now or later?" He asked.

Dean shrugged. "How about now? Nothing else we need to be doing." He replied with a grin, enjoying their freedom.

Castiel nodded, "That sounds fine with me." He said, he slowly untangled himself from Dean, looking back at him. "Maybe we should make breakfast at my house." He said as he stretched out.

Dean sat up on the bed and yawned, glancing back at him. "That's a good idea." He said with a nod, scooting off the bed and stretching again. "We probably only have cereal."

"It was the best bowl of cereal I've ever had." Castiel chuckled. He grabbed his pants since he slept without jeans. He slipped them on, feeling better around his hips. He looked back at Dean, "Okay, we can leave when you're ready." He said.

Dean laughed, pulling on his jeans and a clean shirt. "I'm ready." He replied, walking downstairs with Cas and towards the car. "The impala's almost done- soon I'll get to drive you around in it." He said with a grin.

"Really? Well I'll await the time when you do finish." Castiel returned his grin. "Then you can show her off and how much work and time you've done on her." He said. He unlocked the car and they both climbed in. He started the car, putting in his seat belt. He waited for Dean to do his before pulling back and onto the road. He turned on the music for Dean so they could listen while they drove.

Dean sat back in his seat, smiling slightly. He occasionally sang along to a few of the songs, but was also content to just listen and look out the window as Cas drove.

They soon arrived at Castiel's house, after sitting in a comfortable atmosphere. Castiel had been able to sing along with Dean on a few songs and they kind of laughed a little. He got out of the car with Dean and wandered inside. There wasn't anyone home as Castiel figured. He looked back at Dean, "What would you like to eat this morning? We can make anything you want." He smiled.

"Pancakes? And bacon?" Dean asked hopefully as he followed Cas to the kitchen. "If that sounds good to you too." He added with a grin.

"Anything sounds good to me." Castiel replied. "How do you feel about strawberry pancakes?" He asked as he went into the fridge and started getting supplies. He set them down on the counter and got out a bowl for mixing and two pans. "Maybe we should cook eggs or do you think a parfait would be better?" He asked, looking up at Dean.

Dean grinned. "Ooh, strawberry pancakes sound awesome!" He replied. "And eggs or parfait, whatever you want. You know I'll be happy eating anything you make."

Castiel laughed a little, shaking his head slightly. "Well we should make something healthy to go along with what we eat so I think a parfait would be nice." he smiled. "So, do you want to help me make pancakes?" he asked.

"Parfait sounds good." Dean replied, walking over to him. "Sure, I can help make pancakes. They're not so hard, I've actually managed to make them a few times." He added with a smile.

Castiel nodded, "Well if you want to do them, you can. I can cook the bacon while you do that and I'll make the parfaits." he said. "That okay with you?" he asked.

Dean nodded. "Sure, I can do that." He replied. "Bacon, parfaits, and strawberry pancakes. Sounds like a good breakfast to me." He said with a grin, glancing over at Cas.

Castiel smiled, "I'm sure most food would sound good to you." he chuckled. He walked over to the pan and turned on one of the stoves to warm the pan so he could cook bacon. Then he started gathering different fruits, yogurt, and granola to make a parfait. He easily diced all the fruit up and took out two cups and layered them. He smiled happily at that and picked up the extra fruit he couldn't put in and ate a piece.

He offered a banana slice to Dean. "Ah." he said, since Dean was moving his hands.

Dean glanced up from making the batter, seeing Cas offer the banana but realizing his hands were full. He leaned over and took it out of Cas's hand with his mouth, his lips brushing against Cas's hand and then grinning as he ate the slice.

A light blush dusted across Castiel's cheeks. He rolled his eyes a little with a smile. He went over to the heated pan now, pouring out a little bit of oil. He turned down the stove slightly and put the bacon in there. It lightly sizzled and he flipped them. He didn't cook them for very long, putting them on paper towels after to take up the extra oils. He set them aside on a plate. He ate another piece of fruit before offering another to Dean as he put minced up pieces of strawberry into his batter. He had turned the other pan on for Dean, letting it warm up.

Dean took it with his mouth again, though he had a free hand. He grinned at Cas before pouring some of the batter in the pan, waiting for it to cool before flipping it with a spatula. Once it was done, he moved it onto a plate and started another.

Castiel hummed a song softly, while he waited. He had moved past Dean and found syrup and whip cream in the fridge. He smiled, watching Dean cook the pancakes, "You make a good cook." he chuckled. He had cut up strawberry slices to put on the pancakes once they were done even though there were little pieces of strawberries in the pancakes.

Dean smiled. "Well, they're not too hard. And even if I did screw them up somehow, we can just drench them in syrup." He laughed, flipping the last one. "But I think they'll be good."

Castiel smiled softly, "I think they'll taste just fine. I believe in you." he chuckled a little. "Besides, I don't see you burning them so they can't be bad." he said. He swiped a bit of yogurt from his cup. He had taken out forks,spoons, and small knives to cut the pancakes if they needed it. He looked at Dean, "Anything you want to drink?" he asked.

Dean grinned. "Let's hope so." He said as he put the pancakes with the rest of the food. "Orange juice would be awesome." He answered, swiping some of the yogurt as well and smiling.

Castiel got a glass and poured some orange juice for Dean. He decided that he wanted apple juice. He brought the cup over for Dean and set his cup down. He gave Dean a fork and a spoon. He gestured to the knives. "Just in case you needed something to cut your pancakes with." he said. They had stools so they didn't have to sit at the table, they could sit at the counter. He gave Dean the can of whip cream and syrup as he picked up a spoon and mixed the parfait. "Do what you will and I'll do mine next." he chuckled.

Dean grinned at Cas, pouring a huge amount of syrup onto his pancakes before shaking up the can of whipped cream and adding a large swirl of it on top. "Just the way I like them." He chuckled, passing them over to Cas.

Castiel arched a brow, laughing a little. "Maybe Gabriel isn't the only one with a sweet tooth." he commented. He added a medium swirl of cream on top of his before lightly pouring syrup on them. He had set aside that Parfait to eat the pancakes first, wanting to eat what Dean made. He passed the few pieces of bacon to Dean before cutting into the pancakes. He cut a piece out and dabbed a little whip cream on it before he bit into it, he hummed softly. "This is really good Dean. You can cook. I don't see why you have said you couldn't." he replied, cutting out another piece.

"Well, I don't really know how. Pancakes are pretty easy, but otherwise I don't really know how to make most stuff." Dean replied, helping himself to some bacon and a swig of orange juice.

"That's what recipes are for." Castiel replied. "I learned from recipes and I would be okay with teaching you." he said. He had finished most of the pancakes, slowly making his way through it. He sipped on the apple juice as he ate. "Though I don't know if you'll get bored or not." he said.

"I wouldn't get bored if you were teaching me. I'd probably get bored just reading a recipe though." Dean replied, finishing his pancakes and moving on to the parfait.

"I had thought so. You don't strike me as a type to read directions. More of a...do first then ask questions later." said Castiel. He was doing the same as Dean, scooping at his parfait, enjoying the cool feeling of yogurt and fruit. There was granola in there too so it was a nice touch after eating. They slowly finished their food and put the dishes away. Castiel just said to leave them, that he'll do them later. He was more happy and excited to show Dean his hiding place. He took Dean's hand and led him outside. "The forest is kind of like a maze, watch your step." The forest was really close together and the trees were very lush. There was not much you could depict without walking into it.

Dean followed close behind Cas, not wanting to get separated. "Wow, it is like a maze." He said, wondering how Cas knew where to go without any sort of path. He was excited to see Cas's hideaway, curious of what it was like.

Castiel glanced back at Dean, there were almost there so he pulled on his hand to take him there a little quicker. He was thrumming with excitement and a bit of nervousness, but he didn't mind. He walked Dean through quickly, helping him avoid any things he could trip on. "Ah." he said before pulling Dean through the clearing with him. It was a light blue lake with a small dock leading out into it. It had fields of grass around it, hidden by the trees. There were flowers blooming on the sides and it was just quiet. The soft splashing of water, the light rustle of leaves, birds chirping and critters moving about. Castiel walked Dean down to the dock so he can see you into the water with him. He turned around to look at Dean with a bright smile, "This. This is my sanctuary." he said.

Dean smiled as Cas led him, able to see how excited he was. He blinked in awe as they came into the clearing, his mouth hanging open. "Cas, this is incredible." He breathed, looking around at everything. He didn't think places this beautiful actually existed. "I can see why you'd come here." He said after looking around at everything and turning back to Cas with a grin.

Castiel smiled at Dean, he gently pulled him down near the end of the dock. He tugged at Dean as he sat down and they sat on the edge together. The water was a clear blue, turning a deeper shade as you looked into it. He kept hold of Dean's hand, keeping it between them. They sat in silence on the dock for a few moments, listening to the sound of everything. Castiel was looking out the water, taking a deep breath in and squeezing Dean's hand. He slowly started talking.

"...I used to sit out here for hours. Thinking, not thinking. To clear my mind or let my mind run free. I read here, wrote, maybe drew." Castiel started. "I found this place running through the woods... I didn't want to deal with sitting at home alone, the stress, the expectations, the...the pressure. I wanted away from it all. So I ran away." he explained to Dean.

He remembers running as fast as his legs would take him, going through the woods, thinking that if he ran then he would be able to get away. He didn't know where, but anywhere was fine with him. When he was running through the forest he slipped a few times on the puddles and holes. He caught himself on his hands, becoming muddy and getting cuts but he kept going. At one point he tumbled on a branch and flipped over. He laid on his back in the grass, wood chips, and dirt. He laid on the ground panting, staring up through the trees. It was so quiet. He laid there staring blankly, thinking that if he just laid there maybe he could disappear, no one will find him. That maybe he could become part of the forest, something more. Something more. Castiel remembered his younger self, lying there for a while, staring at the sky, wondering what it would be like to be part of the sky. He eventually got up, looking around and not even knowing where he came from. He just decided to wandered through the trees and he came upon the dock, his secret place. He was awestruck when he stumbled upon the place, seeing the beauty of the nature of it all. That's when he knew that here, here was where life began when his felt like it was ending.

"I didn't get very far as you can tell, but... no one looked for me." Castiel scoffed bitterly. "They either didn't find me or didn't look, but I'm sure I would have known if they were looking…" he said quietly. "I just spent the night, staring out in the water. I never attempted suicide before but sometimes I did feel like it would have been better if I would have disappeared. No one looked for me, I was just a tool. Something they used until they didn't need me anymore..." He squeezed Dean's hand. "I would come out here every day, just watching. I started reading out here, bringing blankets, food, tents, clothes. I would basically live out here and no one cared. I guess they just didn't want me anymore…" his voice wavered slightly, his lip quirked a little but it died away just as fast as it came. He shook his head, "I didn't know what I wanted but one night I sat out on the dock and I just wrote." he looked up and looked out over the water, closing his eyes briefly. "The pages filled itself and it kept going. I felt better after I wrote so I continued doing it. It just became a part of me, a piece of me, and I didn't want to toss it aside...I only had so much...I read books after books on writers, learning. The more I knew, the more I wanted to become a writer." he slowly opened his eyes again, looking up at the sky.

"I was still really young but I had a dream for once. My own dream...not something someone told me my future would be. I knew what I wanted. I kept quiet until my thoughts spilled over and I told Michael that I was going to not join the company and become a writer." Castiel slowly exhaled. "He didn't take it like I thought he would. No one did. Michael piled more work onto me, made sure I didn't leave the house, tutoring, everything. I was kept and supervised. I /hated/ it, but there was nothing I could have done. What could have I have done?I just...I just took it and slowly my dreams started to die away. I was never going to escape. The days I would sit and think about having my own book started lessening. I started to slowly not think about it, the small place I escaped to in my mind was dying away…" his gaze dropped to his lap. "I wanted to close myself off, not care about it anymore, but lying in bed and seeing all my books beside me, all I could think about is...no matter the struggle, no matter how hard life pushes you, if you push back there's nothing that can stand in your way...With those thoughts…. I enrolled into schools." he said. He didn't glance at Dean, he just took a breath before he continued or if Dean had to say anything.

Dean listened slightly, watching Cas as he talked. He frowned, hating the thought of a young Cas sitting out here all by himself just to escape the prison of his home. And the fact that no one looked for him made Dean sick to his stomach. He squeezed Cas's hand reassuring him, wishing there was something he could do to help erase some of that pain. "I'm glad you didn't disappear. I'm glad you pushed back." Dean replied softly, knowing how much courage it had to have taken Cas to stand up to his own family.

Castiel slowly exhaled, rubbing a thumb over Dean's hand to calm himself as he started again. It was hard for him to talk but for once...he wanted to talk about it. "I enrolled into school...and it was the worst decision I ever made... but I had to persevere. I had to stick it through. It gave me and escape for six hours a day, a way out. Michael couldn't just pull me away from school, he had far more important things than deal with paperwork of pulling me out…" he tightened his hand slightly in Dean's. "I was bullied right from the start. I didn't start school at the same time everyone else did and it drew more attention to me. I was quiet, I knew everything they were teaching, I didn't really express myself and I had a hard time talking to people. I was a freak. In the beginning they would just call me names, freak, weird, different, anything they could think of. Then it started to escalate as they grew older. They...they started pushing me, writing on my desk, ripping my notebooks. They would find my locker and write all over it and everyone knew and no one helped me or tried to stop it. The teacher didn't care and the other students would join in." he shook his head again. "I used to be a bit smaller so I couldn't really do much. At some point...I got locked in a locker and the janitor found me at 6 at night... I don't know how no one found me...but I stopped going to my locker." he said quietly, knowing that Dean would know why at the beginning of the year he said he didn't go to his locker. "No one would sit next to me in lunch, I sat alone and I was the center of all stares. People used to throw things at me and I would have to change my clothes because they would have gotten dirty... I stopped coming to lunch. I just sat in a classroom and stared out the window. I didn't eat for a while, everything was like it didn't matter. No one really knew I wasn't eating, but I started forcing myself to eat because if I stopped eating I wouldn't be able to withstand the bullying and defend myself…"

He remembered every one of their faces, what their mocking laughs sounded like, being shoved around, being everyone's dumping spot. It made him sick, he could still hear all their teasing loud and clear, like if he were to blink, he'd wake up on the cold ground outside of his school, beaten and bloody and everything was just a dream. He remembered staring out the window for hours and sitting in the empty classroom when it was lunch and just staring blankly. Wishing he was far away, somewhere where no one would find him.

He remembered not having the energy to do anything, losing the will to fight for everything, wanting to give up, and the thought of food, sickening. Nothing made him happy anymore, he just let everything go. He would come home and stare out the window with a book in his lap, not reading it, he had lost the interest of reading. He would sit there wondering if dreams were something made up to feed the young minds to get through life, only to be shot down and put in their place. What were dreams? Was his worth it? Why did he even try so hard for his dream? He wouldn't eat, just little bites of food at least from time to time.

One day he was lying in bed, no energy to even get out of bed let alone go to school, he picked up a book and started reading again. He had forgotten why he loved reading. The words on the pages spoke to him, connecting to him when he felt like no one would understand. The words just flowed, making his heart ache. He had forgotten why he loved to write, why he wanted to be a writer. He'd forgotten how beautiful it was...He'd  _forgotten_  his will power. He remembered slowly making his way downstairs and forcing himself to eat, even when he felt sick he ate and would force himself to stop from throwing up. He  _ **needed**_  to keep going.

Castiel stopped for a moment, looking down at his feet that dangled over the dock before lightly swinging them back and forth. "I picked up cooking as a hobby and I started cooking. That was the something that I could spend my time free time on. I would just cook and cook. I would start eating more frequently and I was back into my healthy state. Then Anna told me I was spending too much time at home so I took up gymnastics since she said it would be good for me. I spent a lot of my free time there and I just kept doing it. The bullying never eased up. It only got worse, mostly when they found out that I did gymnastics. They started to ask me for favors, to do their homework. They were blackmailing me, telling that they would tell the school and I would get bullied even more for being such a "girl". Each and every time, I would say no… I don't...I don't know why... but I did. I would get beaten up... I would come home with bruises, cuts, black eyes, and sprains. No one was ever home so I had to take care of them myself. They would leave them in obvious places so they eventually got in trouble, but they got smarter. They started slapping, pushing, cutting me in places that couldn't be seen. They left cuts on me, nicks, rug burns. I've had bloody noses, I've been drenched in water, I've been locked in the cold, I've gone through a lot..." Castiel let out a shaky sound. His voice cracked a many times when he was explaining, sniffling a little.

The more he talked about it, the clearer the memories came to him and he realized how cruel life was to him. How much he had gone through and he was only 17. Why was life so difficult? Why did people want to put him down? He felt the emotions well in him, anger, sadness, hatred, confusion. Why? Why him? He sat there, trying to collect himself. He wasn't used to expressing so many emotions, even when he was by himself. When he was with Dean, everything just came to the surface, the worst and the best of him would bloom. He took a few deep breaths, trying not to let the emotions get to him. He felt Dean squeeze his hand and rubbing his thumb across his knuckles. He found the strength to continue.

"...I never cried. Not ever... Being alone, being hurt. Not one tear was pulled from me through that bullying. I don't even know if I would say that's an accomplishment... There was something wrong with me, to experience all that and not once cry...I never turned to physical pain on myself. I already suffered it, so why would I cause myself more pain? I've spent 2 years at that school and then I transferred to a new school... At first people would talk to me. I was hesitant but I talked a little but as news caught on, my name being a part of the Angel's Corporation spread like wildfire. People would try to use me and try to become my friends. The people I were friends before were nicer but they tried stealing from us. I was forced to transfer schools... I spent 5 months there."

He was scared to trust people, he remembered their fake smiles and laughter. They were even worse than the people who actually bullied him, they got close and they used him, mocking him. They would talk about him behind his back and it would always hurt more because they were people he thought the could trust but they just dug the knife in deeper than bullies could. He stopped talking to anyone and Michael forced him to change schools because he was soiling the name even more., but even he wanted to change schools. He wanted away from that school, the people he thought he could trust.

"I started another school in the middle of the year, I was more reluctant to talk to people, but I had a cousin who went to school with me. Samandriel. He was just as an easy victim as I was. He kept to himself and didn't involve himself with others. He would occasionally talk to me and we became friends. News from my other two schools caught up with this one and I started to get bullied again. Once people knew I was friends with Samandriel, they would bully him too. Threaten him. He stopped talking to me. I couldn't have been upset because it was rational. It happened many times. Any friends I would have would get caught in the bullying too." he looked down, squeezing Dean's hand.

This was the first time he had seen Samandriel, he didn't know if he really was his cousin or just saying he was but eventually Michael did tell him that Samandriel was his cousin. He slowly started talking to Samandriel, only in small talk before eventually they started sharing books with each other and talking a bit more, but eventually that was torn down when he used to find Samandriel shoved into lockers and having people rip his things. They used to tell him to kill himself and he started staying away from Castiel, and he couldn't be friends with him anymore. Castiel didn't even try to stop him when he just tossed everything that he ever lent him back in his face and ran off, he knew he was trouble. Everyone who ever got involved with him was always in the path of pain and misery. He knew that. He believed that. He was bad luck.

"I transferred schools after that. I spent the rest of the year there. I was just starting high school. I was transferred into an all-boys school... At first, no one paid much attention to me but then they slowly did. I was smaller and lean compared to all the testosterone that was around us. I was pinned after. At first they would just compliment me and say nice things, but it escalated after that. It reached a point where I almost got...raped…." Castiel had to stop for a moment, taking deep breaths to recompose himself. His hands were shaking and he was gripping Dean's hand tightly in his. "I'm sorry...g-give me a moment." he said quietly as he took a deep breath in, looking out into the water. Dean had slowly scooted closer to Castiel, pressing their sides together, keeping their hands on his lap, wanting to just take away the pain. The memories, wanting to just take them away from Cas.

Castiel slowly started again after a few more moments, "They had gagged me and I was held face down, they held onto my hands... They...They were taking pictures of my face but they had put a wig on my head so that I looked different...They just cared about my blue eyes, they would say such revolting things to me... Even compliments sounded disgusting. I thrashed around, kicking and squirming...They had just punched me to tell me to shut up. I bit through the pain and caused enough racket where a teacher found them. I transferred schools again."

His voice wavered, shaking as he explained that. He closed his eyes and he could feel what it was like and he was scared. He wanted to throw up. He remembered it was when he lost his bag and he found it in the classroom and they jumped him. He was pinned against the desk that he sat at and all their touches were rough and hastily. He didn't want to believe this, he felt like he was being raped in front of a whole class and everyone would know. He had enough, why was everyone always after him? Trying to tear him down? He wanted to just give up, but he was just so angry. Why? Why him? He started to fight back and kicked and thrash and landed a few good kicks before they hit him but he kept going. He remembered the teacher finding him and the relief that washed over him and the teacher saying she'll call him parents for him but he denied it. He told her, they wouldn't pick up. He walked home that day, but it was more like run. He didn't want anyone to catch him.

"The bullying was either, easier than the last or worst at my new school... The school I transferred into had its days, sometimes I would have my clothes cut up from scissors and I would have to buy new ones or no one talked to me, they would just stare and mock. One night I had just gotten out of gymnastics and a group of kids pulled up. They were kids from my previous school. They started to circle around me and corner me. I didn't have any way to protect myself, like always... So I curled myself up as they started beating me up for "Old time's sake" a car pulled up soon after and that's when I met Jo and Ellen…"

It felt like punches were coming from everywhere, people laughing, pushing him and shoving between each person. He really thought that he was going to be left here to die after they would be done. He remembered the fleeting thought that he hoped they would have killed him. That it would be over, then he remembered a car light pulling up and the sound of car doors opening. He heard Ellen's voice first, telling them to beat it and scram. the kids just backed up and went because they got caught. Jo came up to him first and he flinched away from the touch and scooted away. He was scared. He remembered Jo looking up at Ellen and them talking a bit before Ellen squatted down next to Castiel and gently brushed his hair and gently pulled him into a hug. He wanted to ask them, why they didn't let him die, but he was too tired.

"They took care of me that night, I fell asleep next to Jo, having a blanket curled around me. I didn't go to school for the next few days. I just spent it at the diner with Jo, Ellen, and Ash. I helped around and they fed me. Everyone was nice there, everyone was different than what I was used to. They were so...open, full of life, kindness. Once there was a fight that broke out, Ellen would be there to break it up. She was so…" Castiel stopped for a moment to think of the right words to express his feelings. "Powerful and confident that people just... listened. I wanted to be exactly her. Strong and brave, being able to hold myself up with pride. I would come by there every night after that, from gymnastics and to have someone to spend time with..but then I was forced to transfer schools again. I was a junior. I didn't talk much to Jo after that, I would try but I didn't have time to."

He was so sad when he had to leave the diner and go to school. Jo told him that he was going to be okay, that anyone who messed with him would have to deal with her. Ash told him that he would just need the name of the kid and he would make his life terrible for him. Ellen treated him like a son and it made him feel safe. She would always make him food and brush his hair when he'd come by. She would sit and talk to him. He didn't always talk much but she would still smile gently at him and he cherished those moments, seeing her so kind then so strong and dealing with others. She was his hero. He could never thank them enough for what they have done for him, he had offered them many things but Ellen just smiled and told him that if he had enough money to do that, that maybe he should be the writer that he wanted to be. He cried a few times, but it was only when Ellen was around. It was just between him and her.

"School wasn't as bad but junior year was the bad year at home. Only from the end of freshman year to sophomore year did Anna and Gabriel really start paying attention to me. I was told to go back home to tutoring that I was needed in the company." Castiel glared at nothing in particular, "They stopped me from going on the bus to gymnastics, they took away the car that was a gift to me and I was always piled in work. They paid the school to keep watch of me, to make sure I went straight home that I had privileges, to be excused from homework to do business duties. I was treated different because of that. People hated me, people spread rumors, feared me, it wasn't the quiet school that I had appreciated the most anymore. I couldn't take them hovering over me, I went straight to Michael and told him. I would not be part of the company, not now, not ever. I was going to pursue my dream. He told me what whatever choice I made, whatever decision I chose I would always end up here, someway or another. He said he would do everything in his power to stop me from getting my dream so he dropped me from the corporation. I was free to do what I want. Gabriel and Anna had put words in to make sure no one would come get me or try and it was quiet again, but I transferred schools again to be sure..." he summarized a lot of it, but it was still a lot of things to be said. "And then...I transferred to our school." He had gathered his nerves and looked over at Dean. "I met you and it just seemed that everything that I faced until now is minuscule compared to me meeting you." he said in a soft tone. It was very quiet, but there were sitting side by side so there wasn't much that couldn't be heard.

Dean listened quietly to Cas's whole story, looking pained when Cas described the bullying and all the shit he'd had to go through. He wished there was something he could have done to help him then, to save him from so much misery, but he knew the best he could do was help him now. His features softened into a soft smile as Cas said how small everything seemed to meeting him.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, and I'm even sorrier you had to go through it alone. But I'm not gonna let that happen anymore- you're stuck with me." He replied. "And even if I can't help with anything that's already happened, at least I can be here for whatever happens next."

Castiel let the words sink it, letting it wash over his nerves and doubts that he has been feeling since he started talking, he tilted his head a little with a slight smile. He leaned over and kissed Dean on the cheek. "I know... Thank you Dean." He said. "Bringing you here was very special to me. So I hope you like this place." He swung his legs slightly over the side. He felt extremely nervous when he was done, scared that if he looked over at Dean, he would have looked at him with disgust or pity. That he was far too much trouble for just one person, but the look in Dean's eyes when he finally met his gaze washed those thoughts away. There was anger there, sadness, but there was also the determination in his eyes that looked like he would do everything in his power to protect him. That is what made him relax and know that Dean was the safe place he could come to. It would be hard for him to remember, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he'll know.

"I really do. It's so relaxed and peaceful." Dean replied, looking back over the lake before turning back to Cas with a smile. "Thanks for bringing me here." He added, really appreciating that Cas would bring him to his haven. He wanted to make Cas smile, to bring on the lighter mood, know that he'll be here to cheer him up. He didn't want to see the faces Cas made when he was telling him his story, so pained and sad. He was so hurt and he just wanted to see that smile that makes Cas's eyes crinkle just slightly and his gums show. The smile he loved so much that showed how happy Cas was.

Castiel smiled and scooted closer to Dean, moving their hands into his lap, leaning onto his shoulder. He played with Dean's hand in between his. "You're adding to the happy memories I have here." He said

Dean smiled, leaning his head gently on top of Cas's. His chest warmed at Cas's words, glad he could add to his happiness. "Hopefully I can keep making you happy." He said quietly, turning his head slightly and kissing the top of his head.

"You will. I have no doubt in my mind that you won't." Castiel replied. He squeezed Dean's hand, sitting there quietly. They just sat there, peacefully. After a few moments, Castiel slowly moved away, starting to stand up. He took Dean's hand with him. "Let's go on a walk."

"Okay," Dean replied, standing and keeping his grip on Cas's hand. He felt so secluded here, completely set apart from any of the problems waiting for them beyond the woods. He could understand why Cas would come here to escape; it really was a sanctuary, with an air of security in the serenity it provided.

Castiel smiled at Dean, walking him off the dock and into the grass. They walked around the lake at a meandering pace. "Thank you...thank you for listening. I know it's not exactly a happy story but... I thought you should know. Why...why I am the way I am. Why I have those attacks. That you know about me...it was…it was hard to talk about it, I never do but for once...I wanted to. To let you in...I trust you." He told him quietly.

"It isn't happy, and I wish I could help, but it's already happened. I desperately wish I could change your past…but the best I can do is make you as happy now as I can." Dean replied. "I trust you too...if you haven't figured it out. Thanks for telling me Cas…" he said, feeling a warmth in his heart from Cas letting him in. Into his past, his experiences even though they were cruel and depressing. That he worked up the courage to tell him. It meant a lot to him and probably much more to Cas.

Castiel lightly nudged Dean with his shoulder, leaning his head on him. "It's still nice to know that you do." He replied. "Do you ever have a place you go to when you're upset?" He asked.

Dean hummed in thought. "I guess I just go work on the impala. I have to do something when I'm upset." He replied. "I'd rather keep myself busy and not think about anything."

"She's really beautiful so I hope that you think of your frustrations being paid off when she's finished." Castiel smiled. "I think too much. Sometimes it's nice but sometimes I just want to stop." He said, stopping in their tracks. He gently took Dean's other hand and leaned up to kiss him. "You're the perfect distraction and getaway." He said softly.

Dean grinned. "You're so sappy sometimes." He said before he kissed him again softly. "I like it." He murmured. "And I like being your distraction."

"Mmm, you bring out the sappier side of me." Castiel told him softly. "Plus I'm sure I distract you just as much." He said, before kissing Dean again with a quiet laugh.

"That's true, you definitely distract me just as much. If not more." Dean replied, bumping their foreheads together gently. "But I'm definitely not complaining."

Castiel laughed a little, holding Dean's hands. "Distracting you is fun." He joked. "I at least know I have all your attention when I distract you." He said.

"You always have my attention. Even when I have to think of something else, you're always in the back of my mind." Dean replied, meeting his eyes and breaking into a grin. "Yeah, and you make me sappy too."

Castiel slid his arms to Dean's neck, evening some of their height. "It's okay. I like it too." He smiled, before kissing him again. He felt really affectionate after letting some of the load off his chest, just wanting to touch. He felt lighter, knowing now...he didn't have to face all of it alone. There was much he didn't tell Dean, but even as much as he said was a lot more than he thought.

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas's waist, his hands meeting at the small of his back. He returned the kiss happily, more than okay with Cas's affections.

Castiel stepped closer to Dean, kissing him softly. He coaxed Dean to deepen the kiss a little and they spent a few moments just kissing, languidly and lovingly. Dean moved his lips against Cas's, tracing his lip with his tongue. It was relaxed and affectionate, not the sort of kissing Dean was used to but enjoying it nonetheless. Castiel hummed softly, playing with Dean's hair in between his fingers. They deepened it and after a few moments they slowly parted. Castiel leaned his forehead against Dean's, panting lightly. He glanced up at Dean with a small smile.

Dean smiled, his eyes trailing upwards across Cas's face to meet his eyes. "You're getting better." He murmured with a chuckle.

"I have a good teacher." Castiel mumbled, brushing his nose against Dean with a small laugh. "Besides it's something I enjoy."

Dean grinned. "And I like teaching you." He replied with a chuckle. "It's definitely one of my favorite things to teach."

Castiel hummed, looking at Dean, "One of your favorites? What else do you like to teach?" His eyes glanced over his freckles and features before looking up at Dean. His eyes were brighter today, so clear and happy. It made Castiel's heart flutter.

Dean grinned. "Well, I liked teaching you to defend yourself and to shoot, and I really liked teaching what came after that." He replied with a chuckle.

Castiel laughed a little, "It's a good thing I really like learning, especially what you're teaching." He smiled.

Dean laughed. "Well, you're a good student." He replied. He really enjoyed just standing there with Cas, joking and staying close to each other. "And I'm happy to teach you anything I can."

"Even if they're things you might not know? Like what you did a few nights ago? A...blow...job?" Castiel said questionably. He tilted his head a little. "Is that right?"

Dean grinned, finding Cas's questioning innocence pretty adorable. "Yeah, a blow job. Stuff like that, even if I don't know, I definitely don't mind figuring it out with you." He replied with a smile.

Castiel perked a bit, "No one's home and I kind of want to try...if that's okay with you..." He looked up at Dean. "This is some other time, now is okay right?" He asked.

Dean arched his brows. "Yeah, now's definitely good with me." He replied with a grin, slightly surprised at how excited Cas seemed. Dean certainly didn't mind, though.

Castiel smiled a bit before letting go of one of Dean's hands to lead him back through the forest. "We should camp out here one day." He said as they slowly left the area. "The stars are really pretty." He added, glancing back at Dean.

"That'd be awesome." Dean replied, glancing up and trying to imagine what it would be like before nearly stumbling and bringing his focus back to following Cas. "This is a really awesome place to have so close to your house."

Castiel chuckled a little, "No one really goes back here besides me, or at least I don't think they do, but it can be our secret place now." He said. He slowly helped Dean through the woods before getting into the clearing. "You learn to get through it after a while." He smiled at him.

"So I showed you around school and you can show me through the woods." Dean replied with a grin. "And I like that idea- having a secret spot."

Castiel laughed a little, "I think you showing me through school was more important than me showing you through the woods." He said. He led Dean slowly inside, "Then it's officially our spot okay?" He smiled.

"Mm, I dunno, I think this is pretty important too." Dean replied. "Okay, our official spot." He said with a grin as he followed Cas inside.

Castiel smiled at the thought, he led Dean upstairs to his room. He walked them inside, letting Dean close the door. He looked back at him, "I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do first." He said as he led Dean to the bed so he could sit down.

Dean smiled, pulling Cas forward slightly to kiss him. "Don't think about it so much. There's not a list of steps you have to follow." He replied.

Castiel nodded, before deciding on taking what he learned from Dean and what he has seen, to use. He grabbed the front of Dean's shirt and pulled him back into a kiss. He tangled his other hand in Dean's hair and pulled a little. He bit at Dean's lip, swiping his tongue across it after, turning them until the back of Dean's legs hit the bed frame, making him sit down. Castiel slowly climbed into his lap after, straddling it as he made sure that he kept the kiss going the whole time.

Dean let out a little noise of surprise as Cas grabbed him before going along with the kiss. He didn't know where the sudden confidence had come from, but he definitely liked it. He wrapped an arm around Cas once he was straddling him, letting out a soft moan as he pulled lightly at his hair.

Castiel kept lead of the kiss, he kept the pull of Dean's shirt as he pushed on the back of Dean's head. He pulled on the ends of his hair a little more as he kissed Dean roughly. He opened his legs a little more so he was perfectly situated over Dean. He rolled his hips downward on him, stirring up his arousal.

Dean shivered upwards, his hand tightening on Cas's back as he felt himself becoming more aroused, everything Cas did only turning him on more. He arched into him slightly, pulling Cas closer as he tried to get more friction between them.

Castiel moaned a bit into his mouth, pushing back against Dean and rolling his hips more against him. He could feel Dean becoming harder under him. The hand that was bundled in Dean's shirt, smoothed out as he ran his hand up and down Dean's chest, feeling everything. Castiel broke the kiss after, immediately going to kiss Dean's jaw and neck. He licked the shell of Dean's ear, biting it softly, before trailing down. He nipped at the spot below his ear, leaving a small mark before lightly licking his way down to his collarbone. He pulled back his shirt a bit and bit down, swiping his tongue across it. Most shirts that Dean would wear would cover them so he left an obvious mark.

Dean's breathing became more ragged as he felt Cas's lips moving across his skin, his breath catching slightly as Cas bit his collarbone. One of his hands moved to clutch at the bed behind him, holding himself up as the other clung to Cas.

Castiel scooted back a little on Dean's legs as he undid Dean's jeans. He slid his hand into his pants like Dean had for him, cupping him and stroking. He left a few more marks on Dean before moving his other hand to the hem of Dean's pants. He slid off of Dean and started tugging at his pants to pull them down.

Dean let out a soft moan as Cas's hand moved against him, desperate for more, and rocked slightly against his hand. He was faintly aware of the marks being left on his skin, but they didn't bother him in the least. He shifted slightly in the bed, eager to help Cas get his jeans off.

Castiel pulled Dean's jeans off and discarded them on the ground. He pulled off his underwear too. He slid down, kneeling himself between Dean's legs. He rest his hands on either side of Dean's thighs. He looked at Dean's cock for a moment, a bit shocked on how that had fit in him. He timidly reached out and touched it, it was really warm. He wrapped his fingers around it and lightly stroked it, seeing precum ooze from the top. He was kind of looking in a bit of wonderment. He leaned forward a bit and licked the top of it, swiping away to precum. It was slightly bitter but he didn't really seem to mind. He glanced up at Dean to make sure it was okay to continue, he pulled a little at Dean's thighs so he would sit more on the edge of the bed.

Dean swallowed, watching Cas with desire filled eyes. His hands held on to the edge of the bed, tightening against the sheets at the touch of Cas's hand and letting out a heavy breath as he used his tongue. He nodded slightly when Cas looked up at him, the anticipation building almost painfully as he followed Cas's hands forward slightly, more off the edge of the bed.

Castiel shifted his gaze from Dean back in front of him. He wasn't really sure on what to do, but he figured to try things, finding out what pleased Dean the most. He leaned forward a little, kissing the slit of the head, swirling his tongue across it. He kept a light grasp on Dean, licking around the head. He gently sucked before slowly pulling off again. He needed it a bit more wet if he wanted to do what Dean did. He slightly pulled Dean's cock to the side as he lapped it softly, making it wet. He lightly sucked on the sides, trying everything he could think of. He lapped the other side, figuring that was good enough. He lightly stroked Dean, seeing it easier to move. He knew a few things about sensitive areas on the penis so he licked the underside, teasing his tongue just below the head before the going back to the slit again. He glanced up at Dean to make sure he was doing okay before he continued.

Dean clutched the side of the bed, eyes shifting from watching Cas to the ceiling and back down again. His breathing was irregular and he stifled a moan as Cas moved his tongue around him. He fought the urge to jerk his hips, biting down on his lip as he glanced down to meet Cas's gaze.

Castiel's breathed hitched just slightly. Dean's eyes were fully dark, his face was a little flushed, slightly red and slicked lips. He didn't know he could do that to him. He slowly slid Dean into his mouth, lowering his head. He held onto one of Dean's thighs as the other held his hip. He slowly moved his head up and down, trying to redo what Dean had done. He suck a little as he bobbed. He never really had a good gag reflex so he wasn't all to worried about choking. He had Dean halfway in his mouth, slowly getting more as he bobbed. He became more comfortable with it as it progressed. He suck a bit harder and moved faster. He glanced up at Dean through his lashes to see his reaction.

Dean glanced down to meet Cas gaze, curling his toes into the carpet. "Ah, Cas," he moaned, his other fingers digging into the bed at the sight of Cas looking up through his lashes. He rocked his hips slightly against his movements.

A shot of pleasure ran through Castiel, going straight for his groin. He moaned around Dean, closing eyes and refocused. He swallowed more of Dean, settling it at the back of his throat. He swallowed repeatedly, getting used to the feeling. He slowly pulled off and bobbed back down. He could taste it at the back of his throat. He got used to it and started pulling off faster and swallowing him back down. He eventually got to the base of Dean's cock, fitting everything into his mouth. He hummed softly, feeling slightly proud of himself. It was slightly harder to breath so he pulled off and took a few breaths, kissing the top and licking it before he took him down again in one smooth motion. He bobbed quickly, sucking roughly, and did soft licks on the head when he pulled up. He gripped Dean's thigh, feeling him tense up.

Dean pulled lightly at Cas's hair, following his motions. His thigh pressed against Cas's hand as the tension pooled in his stomach. "Shit, Cas, ah," he moaned in warning, knowing he was getting close. His breathing was coming in ragged gasps, every movement Cas made sending jolts of pleasure through him.

Castiel hummed at the base as a reply. He sucked harder, going in longer and slower bobs. He liked Dean's fingers touching his hair, he felt good knowing that Dean was breathing roughly above him, that he was the one that was pulling that out of him. He pulled off slowly but swallowed him quickly when he was going down. He wanted Dean to come in his mouth like he had for him. He wanted Dean to feel good.

Dean grabbed at Cas's hair, his other hand moving from the bed to Cas's shoulder. His grip tightened as Cas moved down on him again quickly, his eyes clenching shut. A wave of hot pleasure coursed through him as he came in the back of his throat, gasping out Cas's name.

Castiel nestled at the base, swallowing continuously, feeling the warm substance run down his throat. He hummed softly, not yet pulling off until Dean calmed down. He didn't mind the taste, it just made him think of Dean so he was okay with it. He eased his grip on Dean's thigh, lightly resting it there.

Dean slowly returned his breathing to normal, relaxing his grip on Cas's hair and running his hand through it gently. He took a moment to calm down before looking back down at Cas, smiling slightly. "That definitely didn't seem like a first time blow job." He commented, chuckling breathlessly.

Castiel glanced up at him as he slowly pulled off, he licked the side of his lip clearing his throat a little. "No?" he asked. "Did I do okay then?" he tilted his head slightly, sitting back a little on his legs.

"Okay?" Dean repeated with a chuckle, still slightly flushed. "You did amazing, seriously." He added, leaning forward so that their faces were even. "That was awesome." He grinned.

Castiel smiled back at him, feeling happy that he did really good. "Ah...I know I just swallowed your semen, but can I kiss you?" he asked timidly. He didn't know if Dean would want to kiss him after or thought that was kind of gross. He glanced up at him.

Dean grinned slightly, closing the gap between them to kiss him softly. "You can kiss me whenever you want." He replied, thinking that is was nice of Cas to ask but not really minding.

Castiel smiled, leaning in to kiss him again. Dean kissed Cas for a moment before realizing that Cas had only been focusing on him. He moved his hand down from Cas's shoulder, reaching down his side to his thigh before lightly rubbing the bulge in his pants.

"Want some help with that?" He murmured with a smirk, kissing his jaw lightly.

Castiel shiver a little against Dean, breathing against his lips. "Yes." he replied simply, kissing Dean again. He slowly climbed back up onto Dean's lap, straddling him again.

Dean smiled slightly against his lips, wrapping an arm around him to pull Cas into his lap. He unbuttoned his pants with one hand and slipped inside, palming and stroking him while the other hand tugged at his belt loops to tug his pants down.

Castiel moaned softly, before helping Dean rid him of his pants. He rested his arms on Dean's shoulders, breathing a bit quicker. He glanced up at Dean, letting out a small breath. "Dean..." he said. He wanted to request him something but he was a little embarrassed on asking. He glanced away after.

Dean glanced up at him, realizing he was embarrassed for some reason. He caught Cas's chin and turned it slightly so that he'd met his eyes. "What is it? C'mon, you can tell me." He coaxed.

Castiel slowly met his gaze, blushing a little. He opened his mouth and then closed it. "Fi-fingers." he said softly. He slid more onto Dean's lap. "They...I liked it... a lot." he glanced up at Dean, blushing a bit more.

Dean smiled at Cas's light flush, but his brow furrowed slightly. "Fingers?" He repeated, confused. "Oh, you mean like a hand job?" He asked, wondering why Cas was so embarrassed now. It was incredibly endearing.

Castiel shook his head a little, he looked down at his own fingers, twisting them a little. He looked back at Dean, letting out a small breath. "Your fingers in me...I want that..." he started off better but trailed off and got softer after.

"Ahh," Dean smiled, leaning in to kiss him lightly. "I can do that." He murmured, raising his hand to the side of Cas's face, his thumb stroking the edge of his lips. "But I didn't bring lube this time, so you're gonna have to help me out." He said, knowing that going in completely dry wouldn't be especially pleasant.

Castiel nodded, keeping his gaze on Dean. "What do you want me to do?" He asked.

Dean paused, not positive if Cas would be okay with this but figuring he'd give it a shot. "We can get something, or saliva works, if you don't mind my fingers in your mouth a little." He replied.

Castiel stared at Dean for a second, "I don't mind you putting your fingers in my mouth." He replied. "But if you want me to, I can go look for something." He offered.

"I don't really feel like moving." Dean replied with a slight grin, leaning forward to kiss him, his tongue moving across his lips. "Open your mouth." He instructed softly, tracing the outline of his lips with his finger.

A new set of arousal settled in Castiel's stomach. He slowly opened his mouth for Dean, taking some of his finger into his mouth and licking it softly.

Dean moved his fingers slightly around his tongue, leaning down to bite at the skin just inside the hem. He sucked on the skin and licked it, not quite leaving a mark.

Castiel moaned around his fingers, rubbing his tongue over Dean's fingers and gently sucking them. He tightened his hands a little on Dean's shoulders.

Dean slowly pulled his moistened fingers out of Cas's mouth, replacing them with his lips. He shifted Cas slightly in his lap, opening his legs to further widen Cas's. His other hand roamed across his chest as he slipped his fingers between his thighs, circling his entrance.

Castiel gripped Dean's shirt, moaning softly in his mouth. He rolled his hips downward slightly, feeling the stir of anticipation. He leaned in closer to him, kissing him more.

Dean bit his lower lip, tugging it slightly. His arm curled around Cas's middle as he slowly slipped a finger inside, moving it in and out slightly.

Castiel made a small sound, shifting a little, it didn't hurt or feel as weird as the first time. He shifted his hips down a little to let Dean know it was okay.

Dean moved to kiss below his ear, moving upwards to nip at the lobe. He moved another finger in a little faster than the first, seeking out the bundle of nerves with more ease than the first time.

Castiel followed his movements, going opposite of his fingers. He swallowed thickly, moaning softly. He rolled his hips onto his fingers, clutching onto his shirt. His back arched into Dean, squeezing his eyes as a shudder ran through him. He whined above him, feeling him brush his prostate. He moved his hips down faster, trying to get the feeling again.

Dean moved his hand against him, to gain more friction and moving to kiss Cas's more exposed neck. He scissored his fingers moving his other hand around to stroke him in time with his fingers. He pressed them as deep as they would go, loving how Cas looked above him, face flushed, eyes closed, and those moans that came from him were music to his ears, he loved Cas's moans.

Castiel bowed his head forward, panting. He had an arm wrapped around Dean's shoulders but the other found its way to rest on Dean's knee. He supported himself and used it as leverage. He mewled, panting out breaths at Dean. "Deean..." He whined, tipping his head back again. The warm feeling was pooling in his stomach.

Dean sped his fingers, trying to hit his prostate again as he moved his other hand to the faster rhythm. He crooked his fingers when they pressed inside, feeling around before he found what he was searching for when Castiel let out a deep moan. He grinned in satisfaction, leaning forward and kissing Cas's neck as he rubbed his fingers over the bundle of nerves.

Castiel was whining above Dean, moaning as he pushed down onto Dean's fingers. He moaned a little louder feeling him speed up. Dean pressed a third in, constantly rubbing down on Cas's prostate. Castiel was seeing little white spots, moaning loudly from all the pleasure running through him. He shivered, feeling Dean continuing to stroke him, more firmly and quickly.

Dean skimmed his nose against the skin of Cas's throat and jaw, kissing his cheek. "Cum for me, Cas." He murmured gruffly, his breath skirting against his ear.

Castiel felt Dean breath against his skin as he shook above him, crying out Dean's name. He whimpered a broken cry after, feeling everything come crashing down. He panted harshly, coming on Dean's hand. He rested his head on Dean's shoulder have little aftershocks.

Dean kissed his hair as Cas rested his head on his shoulder, giving him a few moments to steady himself. Once Cas's breath began to become more regular, he removed his fingers, resting his hand on his thigh and holding the other off to the side slightly.

Castiel whimpered a little at the loss, but rested on Dean, breathing softly. He felt lax and sated. He nuzzled against Dean's neck, sighing contently. "Mmm sorry about the mess..." He mumbled.

Dean chuckled, stroking Cas's thigh with his thumb. "You don't seem that sorry." He joked. "But it's okay, I don't mind. Seems like you enjoyed that, huh?"

Castiel nodded a little in Dean's neck. "Feels good..." He mumbled. He should get up to let Dean wash his hands but he didn't feel like moving. "M' sorry... I'll get up in a second." He breathed out.

Dean smiled, wrapping his arm around him. "S'okay, just don't fall asleep on me." He chuckled, scooting back slightly farther on the bed again, keeping his arm around Cas to keep him close.

Castiel had his arms loosely around Dean. He murmured in his neck, "I can't?" He asked. He just laid against him, taking in his warmth.

"Mm, yeah, you can." Dean replied with a smile, leaning his head against him. He wanted to wash off his hand, but he was enjoying their closeness too much to make him move.

"You should wash your hands..." Castiel murmured. He begrudgingly moved aside after kissing Dean's neck softly. He just rolled into the bed, lying down.

Dean chuckled, standing up off the bed and glancing back at him. He went to the bathroom and washed off his hands and splashed a little water on his face. He dried off before returning with a wash cloth he found, grinning at how Cas looked like he was already passed out. He crawled into the bed behind him, wiping him down slightly before tossing the cloth aside and wrapping his arms around his waist and kissed his shoulder before resting his chin on it.

Castiel hummed softly, enjoying the warmth around him again. Dean fit perfectly against him. He rested his hand over his. He never got a chance to get dressed after Dean left, he just laid on the bed, fighting the sleepiness. "You're so warm..."

Dean laughed lightly. "I'll take that as a compliment. You're really comfortable." He replied, snuggling into him with a contented sigh.

Castiel glanced over at Dean with half lidded eyes. "Are we going to take a nap this early?" He asked. "We would still have the rest of the afternoon." He chuckled softly. "We have school tomorrow..." He said. "I don't think I can drive you tomorrow. Anna is going to use the car."

Dean hummed lightly in thought. "I dunno, we can do whatever we want I guess. I'm up for anything." He replied before frowning slightly. He knew he'd see Cas almost all day at school and probably afterwards, but he liked driving with him. They laid in contented silence and Dean thought Cas fell asleep.

Castiel turned in his arms to face him, he looked up at him. "What's it like being tied up? Have you ever been?" he asked. He didn't know why but ever since trying sex with Dean, he's been more curious about it and wanted to try things with him. "I don't mean to always bring up intercourse but I think about it more often when I'm around you." he said.

Dean laughed. "I make you think about sex, huh? That probably makes sense." He replied. "I don't mind. And once, yeah. My hands were tied." He replied, glancing down at Cas. Dean was pretty surprised a how willing Cas was to do things with such little experience, but he certainly didn't mind it and Cas seemed to really enjoy it too.

Castiel snuggled in closer, looking up at Dean still. "What was it like? Did it hurt?" He asked more questions. He was curious on how it made Dean feel and curious on what it would be like. He had said it felt good to him and so far Dean has not mislead him so he was willing to try anything really.

"It didn't hurt," Dean replied first. "I wasn't tied that tightly and it was with the corner of the sheets, so it was pretty soft." He paused, trying to think of a way to explain how it felt. "It was... exciting. I can't really describe it. It takes a lot of trust though, and honestly there wasn't a whole lot of that, which made it less enjoyable." He explained.

"So if we tried it between us, it will feel better?" Castiel asked. "I kind of assumed we have a bit more trust than whomever you did this with, but I could be wrong." he added quietly. He took Dean's hand and lightly touched his wrist, wrapping his fingers around it before loosening it. He glanced up at Dean, "Is it exciting since you have to wait to see what they do?" he asked another question.

"It would definitely be better." Dean replied. "I trust you more than anyone else outside my family." He said with a slight smile. "And yeah, you have to wait and see what they do, and you're just... Under their control." He shrugged slightly, watching Cas fiddle with his wrist.

Castiel hummed a little, tracing his fingers on the inside of Dean's wrist, over his pulse. He wrapped his fingers again over Dean's wrist, "Would you allow me to tie you up?" he asked, glancing up from Dean's wrist to his eyes. "Maybe not now if you don't feel like it, but one day, maybe we can try?" he said.

Dean nodded and grinned. "Yeah, I'd definitely like to try it sometime with you." He replied. "I'd let you tie me up." He said with a little chuckle, realizing that it sounded a little strange.

Castiel paid no mind to Dean's small chuckle, he smiled at the idea of Dean trusting him to do that and trying. He glanced up at Dean, "Does this mean you would ever try to tie me up too?" he asked. He didn't know what it would be like but he would try it since he trusted Dean.

"If you wanted me to, then yeah." Dean replied, smiling slightly at the thought of having Cas tied and Cas having him tied. Honestly, he didn't know which he would prefer, but he knew he'd like it both ways.

"I want to try it." Castiel nodded. "What would you use to tie someone up? Anything? You had said that someone used the bed sheet so I would assume that most things would work." he added.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, basically. A tie, handcuffs, rope, whatever. Probably something softer than a rope, actually, especially since it's probably be best not to leave marks. I definitely don't wanna have to explain that to your protective siblings." He said with a grin.

Castiel tipped his head to the side a little before he slowly slid out of Dean's arms. He slipped back on his underwear and went to his closet and came back quickly. He scooted back to Dean, settling closely. He held up a blue tie, "This would work right?" he asked. "Should I read up on how to tie a person up?" he added.

Dean arched his brows slightly and nodded. "Yeah, that'd be perfect." He replied, running his hand over it. "You're going to research how to do this?" He asked, smiling slightly. "That's probably a good idea. I don't really have enough experience to know everything about it."

"I don't know how much research I would have to do since it doesn't take much to tie up a person but I'll try." Castiel replied. He glanced at Dean, "May I try to tie your wrist?" he asked.

Dean held his wrist up invitingly, glancing at the tie and back to Cas. "Yeah, go ahead." He replied, turning his hand so that it was palm up.

Castiel sat up, holding the tie in his hands. He glanced at Dean's other wrist before taking it and holding it near his other. He gently looped it around one wrist then crossed it over onto his other wrist. He took both the ends and crossed them over the center and looped them around again, he pulling it so it was secure. Then in the center he twisted the ties between the ones that were already pulled through and laced them together, then tied it off. He pulled the ends to make sure it was secure before holding Dean's tied hands in his and looking up at Dean.

Dean watched Cas tie it, following his movements. The tie was a good choice, easy to secure and soft. When Cas finished, Dean tugged at it slightly to make sure it wouldn't give before glancing up at Cas with a grin. "That's perfect. Not too tight but it won't come undone." He said.

Castiel smiled, holding Dean's hands. "Really?" he said. "I have read a book on knots before, it was a camping book and I used them when I was camping out at the dock." he explained. He ran his fingers over the tie and glanced up at Dean. "I like blue on you, it looks nice." he commented.

"Yeah, it's really good." Dean replied. "I don't think I could wriggle out of it. And I like this blue too. This particular blue." He said with a grin, glancing up from the tie to Cas.

Castiel laughed a little, tracing his fingers over the tie. He watched his fingers for a second before glancing up at Dean. "Why? Is it because it matches my eyes?" he smiled a little. He gently undid the tie, holding onto both of Dean's wrist after and pulled him forward slightly to kiss him. "I think I would like to tie you up." he deducted.

Dean smiled slightly into the kiss. "That's exactly why." He replied with a grin. "And I'd like that." He added, already looking forward to whenever they would try it.

Castiel gently put the tie aside before slipping back into Dean's arms, he wrapped his arms around him and hugged him close. He set his head in his chest, smiling a little. "You know, I'm kind of excited to be able to spend the holidays with you. I know that it's going to be a little while from now, but I can't help but look forward to it." he said.

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas, pulling him close. "I can't wait. It's gonna be awesome, really. No school, you and me, family, food, all the good stuff. It'll be great." He replied, smiling.

Castiel smiled, holding onto Dean. "It sound great. Anything with you sounds great." he chuckled a little. They were just lying there, breathing quietly. Castiel was thinking now that he was lying there in Dean's arms, stealing a glance at his desk over Dean before looking up at him." Do you want to read some of my writing?" he asked after a few moments. "I know you're not much of a reader and it's okay to say no, but I just thought of it." he said. He kept his notebooks filled with words in his desk, stacks of them.

"You have stuff written already?" Dean asked, not sure why he hadn't thought that Cas would. "I'd love to read whatever you have. " He replied eagerly. He wasn't much of a reader, true, but he'd be a lot more interested in reading it knowing that Cas had written it.

Castiel smiled, slowly climbing out of Dean's arms again and going to his desk. He had a small pile of books in it. He pulled out a soft brown one and came back to the bed, sitting this time. He felt a stir of nervousness since he hasn't really shown anyone his writing but he wanted to show Dean. "I write a lot of poetry and just how I feel. It's not really anything spectacular but I hope you kind of like it." he said, offering the book to him.

Dean propped himself up on his elbows as Cas went to get the book, sitting up all the way and crossing his legs as Cas came back. "I'm sure it's gonna be awesome." Dean replied, excited to see what Cas had written and glad that he trusted him enough to let him read it.

Castiel let Dean open up the book, memories of him sitting and writing came back. He remembered all of them, scribbling things down in the margins, days he would just sit on endless hours and not be able to write anything but a few lines, or he would easily write a million things. Dean slowly flipped through some pages. He stopped on one of when he couldn't sleep. He laid in bed just writing a small paragraph, thinking.

The dim light falls over the blanket, the sound of the nearby cars speeding by. It's quiet but never silent. The cool sheets and the warmth of the blankets. Turning to the side with a million things in mind. The quiet sounds sound far too loud, mind with continuous thoughts and short ideas. The ache of tiredness but the shaking feeling of creativity. It's never quiet. The running thoughts that never end or the soft sounds of the night. I'm all too aware.

_I can't sleep._

Then he continued onto another page, some of them were really sad, others painful, and then him just writing down things.

The weight feels heavy

The wings on my back held down by the invisible chain

I'm free but I'm held back

I'm not ripped of freedom but I don't have it

Am I actually free to spread my wings or are you giving me lies to build up my false hope?

I want to set myself high and see the world through a new glass

But coming down to reality as I look at myself

I realize that I never had wings.

You ripped them from me.

I never had freedom

And the weight I feel is the sky crashing down

He wrote a lot, sometimes they were sweet and nice. Others were just things around him. He saw Dean stop on a page of when he wrote the first time on the dock in the morning. He drew around the edges of it.

The soft caresses of the wind

The gentle touches of the waves

The light kisses of the sun

Feeling them all dance across my skin.

The quiet rustle of leaves

The melodic sounds of chirps and creatures

The soothing sway of water as it slowly rises and falls

My mind is quiet but not the world

The air has a hint of floral

The cool crisp water with a tinge of salt

The woods blowing by with scent of dirt, leaves, and bark

Breathing never felt cleaner and more important

The refreshing water pool in the throat

The sweet nectar at the tip of the lips

The puckering tang of fruit

Life without sight but even without seeing, I know you can see what I see through dark eyes.

He glanced from the writing on the paper up to Dean, watching his reactions. He was a bit nervous on what Dean would think, but he knew that Dean wouldn't put him down if he didn't like them.

Dean flipped through the pages with care, reading them even more carefully. He could see the deeper indents of the pen where Cas was more emotional, and could imagine him writing each page in all sorts of places with clearly different emotions. Sitting in bed in the middle of a quiet night, angry at the his his family had over him, peacefulness. He traced over a few of the drawings in the margins before glancing up at Cas, realizing that he was watching him. "Cas, these are incredible." He said, completely serious. "I know I've said you talk like a writer, but this... This just proves it."

Castiel had his hands in lap, holding his fingers. He looked at Dean with a hopeful look, "Really? I wasn't really sure how you were going to feel about them. They're really personal and just random writings I did." he explained. "It's was much easier to express myself through paper than talking. No one really wanted to talk to me so I wrote it down." he added.

"I'm glad you wrote then down. They're random, but they're very... You. I dunno, I'm not exactly a writing expert, but these seem pretty amazing to me." Dean replied honestly. "Have you ever shown any of this to anyone?" He asked, figuring if he had then they must have liked it too.

Castiel shook his head, "Writing is very personal to me. It's really personal in general, you learn more about the writer if you read what they write even if they don't say it. It's not easy to just let people read it, you get scared that they are going to make fun of you for it. The uneasiness." He replied. "I haven't had anyone to talk to anyway so I haven't had anything special to show them. These in particular because they are my own personal writing and thoughts….not a story for the public eye."

Dean frowned slightly, glancing back down at the page. He could understand what Cas meant- it did seem pretty personal, like little pieces of who he was just written down on paper- but it was a shame no one else had seen it. "I doubt anyone would make fun of you for any of this, but I know what you mean. It's definitely pretty personal." He looked up again to meet Cas's gaze and smiled. "Thank you for showing me."

Castiel returned Dean's smile, "You're welcome. I haven't had a chance to write but when I do, I know what I'll write." He laughed a little. "I don't know what to do now. I'm not really that interesting." He said. "I'm a book worm. That's really it."

"We'll think of something to do. We haven't been bored with each other yet. But trust me, you're definitely interesting." Dean replied. "Even if you're kind of nerdy." He added jokingly, grinning.

Castiel chuckled, "I know I am." he said. He gently took the book from Dean, closing it and setting it aside before crawling into Dean's lap and hugging him. "We could cuddle all day." he offered with a small laugh.

Dean smiled, wrapping his arm around him. "I'd be okay with that." He replied with a grin. "You're pretty comfortable, so I don't mind."

Castiel brushed his head by Dean's, nuzzling into his neck. "You think I'm comfortable?" He mumbled. "I love being this close to you. It makes me feel good. Warm and safe." He smiled a little, squeezing Dean.

"I like having you this close." Dean murmured, turning slightly to kiss his head lightly. "And you're definitely comfortable. Like a big, soft pillow, but nicer and warm." He said, chuckling slightly.

Castiel smiled a little, "I like being your pillow then." He said. He hummed softly before pulling away slightly to look at Dean. "Can we lay like this or would I be too heavy?" He asked.

Dean scooted in slightly before laying down, moving a pillow to prop his head up. "Nope, looks like you're not too heavy." He replied with a grin. "I didn't think you would be."

Castiel chuckled, adjusting himself a little and laying down on Dean. He laid his head over his heart, hearing the soft thumping. He wrapped his arms loosely around Dean, smiling.

Dean put his arms loosely around him, letting out a contented sigh and grinning as Cas rose and fell with his chest.

Castiel traced random things on the side of Dean's chest, closest to his face. He drew little things and wrote small words. It was just really peaceful between them.

Dean closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling of Cas tracing things across his chest. He slowly stroked his back lightly. "That feels nice." He said.

Castiel smiled, drawing more slowly. He liked Dean rubbing his back, it was soothing. He let out a slow exhale. He closed his eyes, feeling tired now. He continued to trace his fingers aimlessly but was drifting off a little.

Dean stifled a yawn, glancing down at Cas and smiling. He looked incredibly peaceful, and like he'd fall asleep any moment now. Dean slowed his movements until his hand was just resting on his back as he closed his eyes again.

Castiel fell asleep before Dean stopped his hand on his back. He was breathing evenly, having his hand rest of his chest. His head was still over his heart, listening. They slept for a few hours, before Castiel lightly stirred. He blinked awake, rubbing his eyes a little. He lifted his head slightly to see Dean still sleeping. He felt his arm loosely hanging on him. He glanced at the time it was about 6 but not yet. He lightly kissed Dean's jaw, laying back down on his chest.

Dean stirred slightly, feeling Cas move on his chest and kiss his jaw. He blinked his eyes open, glancing down at Cas and smiling. "Morning. Er, afternoon?" He questioned, glancing over at the clock. "Whatever, you know what I mean." He chuckled.

Castiel chuckled softly, "Hello to you too Dean." He replied, looking up at him. "We should go make dinner. Before I drive you home. I won't see you in the morning so don't oversleep." He said.

"I won't. Or I might, but I won't be late to school." Dean replied with a chuckle. "If I don't get to drive with you, I'll definitely be there in the morning to see you." He smiled. "Dinner sounds good though. What're you thinking to make?"

Castiel smiled, "I'm not sure what I want to make. Do you have any suggestions?" He asked. "Anything is fine with me anyways." He added.

Dean shrugged. "I'm always good with anything. That's probably not very helpful though." He replied with a grin. "How about we go see what you have?" He suggested.

Castiel nodded, slowly getting off of Dean. "We should make something kind of healthy. How about spring rolls? It's pretty fast to cook and make." He offered.

Dean wasn't sure how he felt about the healthy part, but spring rolls did sound good so he nodded. "Okay, I'm up for that." He said, missing the warmth and weight of Cas but sitting up anyway.

Castiel leaned over and have Dean a kiss on the cheek before climbing out of the bed. "Okay. They don't taste bad even though it's healthy. I actually really like them." He said. He glanced back at Dean, he started walking toward the door.

"Well, you're making it, so I'm sure it'll be good. Even if it's healthy." Dean replied with a smile, following Cas out.

Castiel lead them to kitchen and they cooked like how they normally did, occasional brushes of arms as they went through the kitchen, laughing and joking. Castiel taught Dean how to roll spring rolls. It was about 9 when they were done eating and cleaning. Castiel chuckled, "They were good right?" He asked. He set the last dish up before looking back at Dean. They would need to leave soon but it was fine.

"They were good, better than I expected." Dean replied with a smile. He knew they'd have to go soon, but he really didn't want to. He was definitely not looking forward to Monday. He wanted the weekend to just continue like it had been.

Castiel chuckled, "I'm glad." He said. He took Dean's hand and rubbed his thumb across his knuckles, "I have to drive you home now. It's going to be really late if not." He told him. They had made extra food for Sam and Bobby so Dean had something to bring home.

Dean sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He replied, giving Cas's hand a squeeze. "It's okay though, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, you will." Castiel replied. He took Dean home after that and they said their goodbyes. He leaned over and kissed Dean softly before he got out. "See you tomorrow Dean." He said.

"See you." Dean replied before closing the door, watching Cas start to drive away before heading inside. He gave Bobby and Sam the extra food, ignoring Sam's jokes about the bet, before heading upstairs. He knew Monday really wouldn't be that bad, but he was still dreading the end of the weekend. But he'd see Cas tomorrow and they'd be free again eventually.


	8. Days Fly By or Drag On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yesterday is a memory, today is a present, tomorrow is a mystery. You never know when something could happen and things just change.

Tomorrow morning, Castiel was late showing up to class, barely making it in on time. It wasn't that noticeable and Dean blew it off, but for the next few days Castiel would show up later to class and explained to Dean each time he was. Each time it would happen, a pit of dread in Dean's stomach would grow.

Most of the time he would tell Dean it was his family keeping him, telling him things about what's happening in the company. After a while, nothing really happened and it seemed like it had died down. Apparently Lucifer blew everything off as a sham and everything went back to normal. Castiel started showing up to class on time again and he had his car. They spent the weekend catching up for lost time.

Days would fly by when they were together. Every day they would spend together would be filled with soft kisses, light caresses, brushing of arms, laughter and joking, subtle and obvious gestures of affection they had for each other.

Charlie, Kevin, and them would spend their time on the roof together, eating and joking. The school days weren't so bad, mostly when you have friends to make it better. Kevin was there, here and again but soon he would bring his books up there with them.

Castiel and Dean would spend almost every day together, they even spent Halloween together. Castiel had never gone trick or treating before or dressed up for it. He had said that in his family it was said that, that day was to celebrate a demon called Samhain and that they should spend the day inside.

When Dean learned that Cas had never celebrated Halloween, he told everyone and they all gathered to take Castiel to go trick or treating. He was dressed as an angel. There was a huge debate on how Cas would dress and they all set a bet, and Kevin won. Sam had wanted him to dress as a bee, Charlie wanted to dress him as a unicorn, and Gabriel had said that he should go dressed as a witch. Even if they were older than the normal kids, you are never too old for free candy.

They spent most of the day trick or treating and they came back to Castiel's house to spend the weekend. Everyone spent it watching scary movies and eating their candy. Castiel made sweets for everyone, from cinnamon rolls to hot chocolate. He told everyone that they had to stop eating a certain amount of candy at some point. They figured out later that night not to make Castiel mad. He was 10 times scarier with a straight face than he was when he was normally. They all apologized and after a while they went back to normal.

They all stayed in their costumes that night. Sam was a moose, one because he lost a bet and he thought it was funny. Charlie was a queen warrior and she had a lot of girls come up to her to tell her how great she looked. She really enjoyed Halloween that day. Kevin was dressed as an agent, he wanted to look really cool. Gabriel just went as himself and put on a devil's ear headband and tail and called it day. Sometime during that night Castiel and Dean slipped away. They somehow ended up having sex. Castiel kept the wings after that, figuring to keep it as a souvenir and because Dean liked them a lot. They spent the night just cuddling and fell asleep upstairs when everyone fell asleep downstairs.

No one really expected it, but after November 1st Castiel didn't show up to school anymore. No goodbye or warning, he just stopped coming. Like he vanished. The last thing he said to Dean before he didn't show up to school the next day was see you tomorrow.

At first Dean thought he was sick but things didn't seem like that and there was no way that could have happened, Dean would have noticed. The school wouldn't talk to him about Castiel, that his files were locked and even Charlie had to sit down for a while to try to crack it, but it seemed like his information got wiped. Like they never existed.

Cas was gone for most of the month, 2 weeks, bordering the third. Where was he? Was he hurt? Did something terrible happen? Sam, Charlie, Kevin, and Bobby were all experiencing different emotions but they all felt the same when they were thinking about Dean. He suffered the most out of any of them.

At first, Dean hadn't been too worried- maybe Cas was just sick or finding out more about what was going on with the company- but his worry started to increase as Cas didn't respond to any of his texts or answer any of the calls he made after school. He still tried to make himself believe that everything could still be fine, making up all sorts of excuses as to why he miss a day of school and not mention anything to him. But then Cas was gone the next day. And the next.

Every morning in first period, Dean would stare at the door with a painful hope that Cas would come through, and every day he felt the crush of disappointment when he didn't. No matter how much time had passed, Dean kept watching the doors. Eventually, Cas had to come back through one of them- right? It was a desperate, ridiculous hope that let his eyes settle on the door, and every moment that Cas didn't walk through was another weight on his shoulders, another needle through his chest.

If school had been a bitch before, it was absolute hell now. Every class seemed ten times longer without Cas at his side, and the world seemed to lose some of its color around him. He knew the others were worried about him, but he didn't want to talk about it to anyone. He started closing himself off, barely talking to Sam or Bobby. He started noticing Kevin and Charlie exchanging looks at lunch, tiptoeing around him, and he hated it. Whenever anyone would ask, he said he was fine, but he knew no one actually believed him.

Any free time he had was filled with working on the impala or shooting, anything to keep him from thinking. At night, with nothing to distract him, he'd lay awake contemplating what Gabriel had told him. Tossing and turning, finally falling into fitful sleeps, Cas would haunt his dreams. Every night it was the same dream: Cas stood just out of Dean's reach, watching him with disappointed eyes as every attempt he made to reach Cas fell helplessly short. The mornings were even worse, however, with every day starting with a few blissful seconds of forgetting, followed by the slam of remembering. Cas was gone. Some mornings Dean simply closed his eyes, pretending that he hadn't remembered, that he couldn't remember anything. But he did remember. He remembered Cas, he remembered the empty void that had formed in his chest, he remembered that Cas had probably left because of him. He remembered every single mistake he had ever made, and wondered which one had been the final straw. Even if Cas hadn't realized he was better than Dean could ever be, the universe did. He had never deserved Cas in the first place, and the pain he felt now was punishment for the happiness he had no right to enjoy.

There were a few times that Sam had tried to talk to him, everyone did. Trying to get Dean out of the house and do something but he never wanted to or pretend not to hear what they said. Sam would barge into Dean's room and see him lying in bed just listening to music and he would come in and talk to him, tell him to stop moping, that he couldn't keep doing this, that he was destroying himself. He would try and try to get through Dean and one day he accidentally said the wrong thing; Dean kicked him out of his room and locked the door. Sam sighed and shook his head at Bobby when he went downstairs. It was just spiraling downwards for everyone in the crossfire. Where was Cas? What was he doing? Why didn't he understand that there's someone waiting for him? No one knew the side of Cas's story, but Cas himself but he was gone.

It was the last day of school before break and still no signs of Castiel. There were times that Dean and driven over to Cas's house to see if they were home but the lights were always out and it would look vacant. Kevin and Charlie didn't really know how to comfort Dean so they tried their best not to bring it up. They couldn't do much but just try to be there for when he needed it. Even that wasn't enough and sometimes that would backfire.

Sam exchanged glances to Bobby when there were home, sighing when Dean wouldn't want to talk to them. School was on break and now Dean had even more time to spend to himself than before. It just seemed as time progressed he had to accept it, but on the third day on break, two days before thanksgiving, there was a knock on the door and Sam was the person to answer it since Dean had locked himself in his room.

Sam slowly opened their door, "Who is-" he cut his sentence short when he saw Castiel standing there, looking painfully sorry and cold. Sam just stood there for a moment, shocked and speechless.

"...Sam." Castiel started, looking up slightly but he looked down again.

Sam felt a boil of range and wanted to punch Castiel across the face so badly but was so relieved to see him. "You  _son_  of a  _ **bitch**_. You think it's /okay/ to just pop in and out like that?" he snapped. "You know what it was like to see Dean slowly stop doing anything? Where the fuck have you've been Castiel?!" his voice slowly raised as he continued, making jabs at Castiel who flinched at each word. He knew they were true, both of them did. "I should beat the shit out of you, but God help me, I also want to hug you." he gritted. He sidestepped the door to let Castiel in.

Castiel hesitantly stepped inside and just stood there, making himself small as possible. Sam sighed heavily before walking toward the stairs and going into Dean's room where he was moping, yanking him out of bed and shoving him downstairs.

"Fix it. Stop fucking sulking." he told him and he went back upstairs and closed the door.

"What the hell, Sam!" Dean yelled from the stairs as he closed the door. He partially wanted to just go back to his bedroom, but he was admittedly curious to see why Sam was so worked up. "And I wasn't sulking." He muttered as he walked downstairs. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Cas standing there, a turmoil of emotions roiling inside him. Relief, fury, joy, uncertainty. "Cas." He breathed lamely, still processing the fact that he was actually there.

Castiel tensed up when he heard Sam stomped his way upstairs. He heard him say something then Dean yelling. He felt his stomach churn uneasily but his heart flutter. He hasn't heard Dean's voice in a while, he missed it so much. He swallowed, staring at the entrance when Dean stepped in and stopped dead in his tracks. He could see the bounce of emotions across Dean's face. He heard him breathe out his name and he was stunned for a second. He hasn't seen Dean in what felt like years, longer than how much time had really past, but even so it was a really long time.

"Dean..." He said back quietly.

Castiel felt an array of different emotions at that point, happy, sorry, remorseful, self hate, guilt, relief. He took another breath and his voice cracked as he said Dean's name again. He just said his name again, feeling a stir in his stomach.

"Dean... Dean. Dean. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Don't hate me. I'm sorry." His words tumbled out and his eyes became a little glossy. He sniffled, making himself smaller. He grabbed the side of his arm and tucked it into himself as he shoulder slumped. He couldn't look away, he could see Dean and he didn't want to look away no matter how he felt.

"I'm so sorry. I don't...I don't know if you'll forgive me but I'm really sorry. I-I wanted to see you so much and..." Castiel bit his lip, feeling some of his words stumbling over each other, he felt overwhelmed by a lot of things. "I'm sorry Dean." He sniffled.

Dean hesitated. He knew it wasn't Cas's fault, of course he hadn't wanted to, and clearly he'd been hurting just as much as Dean. But he'd promised. He promised he wouldn't disappear, that he'd do whatever he could to stay, and he hadn't. Dean desperately wanted to wrap his arms around Cas and pretend that none of it had happened, yet he couldn't make himself close the distance between them. He'd never trusted anyone as much as he had Cas, and he'd never been in so much continuous pain as when he'd left. He still felt the gaping hole in his chest from Cas's absence, even though he was right in front of him.

"I know it wasn't your fault." He said flatly. It wasn't forgiveness, but Dean had to say something at least mildly comforting.

Castiel wiped his eyes roughly on his jacket. His ears were red, he wasn't wearing gloves or a hat. He looked to be dressed a bit lightly for the cold weather. Castiel felt his heart cringe painfully. He knew that Dean wasn't going to happy, that he was going to feel as hurt as he did, maybe more, but seeing him not make any movements or replying flatly made it hurt worse. He knew that Dean wasn't going to want to touch him, but he was at least talking to him and if that's what he could get, he would settle for it. He looked back at Dean, not saying anything for a moment, just staring.

"Dean...I'm sorry. I don't have a good explanation on m-my disappearance. I'm so sorry." Castiel's voice shook before he took a deep breath, "I...I was taken...taken to headquarters a few states away early in the morning." he said quietly. "I was kept there because they….they found out about Raphael. I was being punished...I was made sure to have no phone connection where I was, no cell reception anywhere. Michael is upset with me, he wants me to quit school, to come to the company, to listen." he told him bitterly.

"I was forced to work, if I didn't…." Castiel trailed off, shuddering slightly in the wake of his words before starting again. "I-I didn't at first, but I figured if I tried, he would slowly trust me. I stayed for a while and he left me to work. At first...at first he would watch. Every move, every action I did. He would watch and I did everything as fast as I could and he would just keep them coming and days would just pass. It felt like I've been gone for /months/." his voiced died down, feeling a rush of sadness.

"I did everything he asked, everything like he wanted, everything to perfection like he always ordered me to...He started trusting me that I was a good worker, that I would stay and he would lay off the work a bit. He told me all the good things that would happened if I stayed, he told me how good I was. How cruel the world is…." Castiel rubbed his arm slightly, looking at Dean every now and again. "And once he was relaxed enough, I left. I didn't have anything but some spare change and the clothes I'm wearing. I hitched hiked here. I took buses, I walked, I sat on the back of someone's bike..." he explained.

Castiel stared at Dean. "I'm sorry. I should have left as soon as I was there, I should have left something for you, I should have contacted you. It /is/ my fault. I left you here and I disappeared though I said I wouldn't. It's all my fault. There wasn't a single day that would pass where I wouldn't think of you, thinking of what you were doing, what you must have been feeling, what you were thinking, if you were mad or sad, if you ever forgot me, would it always be like this?" he dug his nails into his arm. "I...I thought of your voice, your eyes, your hair, I thought of everything down to your fingertips." he got a bit choked up on the last part but talked through it. "I'm sorry. You're probably not going to forgive me, but you had to know where I was. I didn't want to leave you here thinking that...thinking anything but the truth. You didn't deserve this Dean, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that this happened." He swallowed thickly at the end. He didn't have a chance for Dean to reply before Anna barged into the house, reaching out and grabbing Castiel's wrist.

"Castiel! You're so stupid to come here! You know that Michael is mad and you're bringing someone into your problems? We have to go Castiel!" she tugged.

Castiel yanked his wrist from her, "No! I want to stay with Dean! I don't want to handle the corporation! I don't want to work there!" he argued.

Anna grabbed his wrist again, "Stop being an imbecile Castiel! You're putting /him/ and his family at stake. Do you understand? Do you really want that? Stop making Michael mad and  _come along._ " she seethed.

Castiel knew he was being selfish and was putting Dean in the cross between his family and himself, but he didn't want this, he felt lost, empty, broken without Dean and he didn't want that. "I'll deal with Michael if he comes. I don't care what he has to say, I want to stay with Dean." he had already decided it.

Dean let him explain, his heart breaking slightly as he continued. He couldn't believe what an idiotic ass he was being- of course this wasn't Cas's fault! He wanted to go to him, but decided to wait until he was totally finished. He hadn't realized how absolutely insane Cas's family was. Locking him at the headquarters? Him having to hitchhike through states to get back? His anger dissipated quickly, making a move towards him just as Anna burst in.

"He can stay, it's fine with us. We know the risks, but we want him to stay. /I/ want him to stay." He intervened, stepping forward to stand beside him, glancing over at Cas.

Castiel's head turned quickly toward Dean, staring. He could feel his heart clench up again and he thought he heard wrong. Anna sighed, "This is going to be such a mess…" she mumbled. "I'll try to throw him off course for a while and he'll probably calm down after a bit. This is the most I can do for you guys, maybe a bit more and whatever Gabriel can do. It'll make up at least something for Castiel's suffering and you too." she said. Her face grew softer, "Castiel, take care of yourself, don't do anything reckless like that again." she told him. "I'm sorry for invading your home, I'll be taking my leave then." she bowed a little before closing the door quietly.

The soft rumble of a car and the tires against the gravel signaled her leaving. Castiel never once looked away or uttered a word since Dean said he wanted him to stay. His eyes glazed over again and he covered them with his sleeves, sniffling. "I-I'm so sorry Dean. I-I don't deserve you to forgive me." his sleeves became a little damp and he kept the tears for streaking his face. "I'm so...so...sorry."

Dean turned to him, face softening. All of the pain from the past few weeks was nothing compared to realizing that Cas had felt the exact same, if not worse, the entire time. At least Dean had had people trying to help him, while Cas only had people trapping him. He reached over gently, moving his sleeve away from his eyes. "No, Cas, I'm sorry. It's not your fault. Hell, you hitchhiked across states just to get here. I know you would've done anything to come back." He cradled the side of his face with a hand and wiped a tear away with his thumb. "It's okay."

Castiel blinked up, looking back at Dean. His eyes made a few more tears, them sliding down his face. "No. It's n-not o-okay." he sniffled. "I-I broke our pr-promise and you were mad...and I-I hurt you." he hiccuped. He wasn't used to crying, but he felt so hurt. Seeing Dean reject him at first made his heart break. Then Dean telling him it was okay and looking at him so softly just made him feel even more guilty.

Dean wiped away the tears as they came, holding his head with both hands. "You're right, I was mad, and I was hurt. But it's not your fault. You didn't leave, you were taken. I know that." He said softly. Dean was still terrified that something like this could happen again, permanently, but even if it did it wouldn't be Castiel's fault. "I forgive you, even if you haven't forgiven yourself."

Castiel's arms hung at his side before tears ran more rapidly. "Deeean..." he dragged out in a sad voice. "I missed you s-so much. It hurt so b-bad to not to s-see you. I m-missed your v-voice, your h-hands, y-your kisses. I-I missed everything." he cried, he blinked to look up at Dean but his vision was blurry from the tears. He moved his arm again to wipe his tears.

Deans brow furrowed, it was painful to see Cas this upset. "Well you're here now, and I'm here, so it's all okay." He said. "But I missed you too. A lot. More than I can say." He replied more quietly. He leaned forward and kissed him softly, his hands still on either side of his face. Castiel sniffled, feeling the tears drip out. They were wetting Dean's hands, but they slowly stopped coming as much. He held onto the hem of Dean's shirt in both his hands, leaning into Dean's kiss. He wasn't sure if he deserved to kiss Dean, but he wanted it so much right from the start.

Dean pressed into him desperately, the weeks of suppressed emotions pouring out. He was so ridiculously happy to have Cas back, to be able to forget the pain he'd gone through for a little while. He knew it would take a while to go back to how they had been, but for the moment Dean just focused on the feeling of Cas's lips against his own.

Castiel stepped closer, having them press completely together. He leaned up further into him, kissing him back. He missed Dean so much and he just wanted to use all his time to ingrain every last detail of Dean again in his mind. He pulled a little at his shirt, wanting to taste him more.

Dean broke off quickly, leaning their foreheads together. "I missed you so damn much." He murmured gruffly, his emotions seeping into his voice. He pressed his lips against Cas's again, one of his hands sliding from his cheek to pull at the collar of his shirt.

Everything that Dean was doing was making Castiel want more. He was touch deprived and he wanted to touch Dean as much as possible. He kissed Dean again for a few moments, his hands moving from the hem of his shirt and onto his back. He felt the ridges of his spine and the muscles moving underneath his hands. He broke the kiss a little, "I want you so much Dean..." he breathed out, kissing Dean again repeatedly.

Dean tightened his grip on Cas slightly, knowing exactly what he meant. Dean wanted to run his fingers over every inch of him, wanted to memorize the feeling of his kiss and the skin beneath his fingertips. "Let's go upstairs." He murmured, breaking off the kiss. He looked into Cas's eyes for a moment before moving towards the stairs, reminding himself that Cas was really here and here to stay.

Castiel moved his hand quickly to catch Dean's, not wanting to stop touching at all. He knows he was being ridiculous but he felt a need to touch. He followed after Dean, wiping his face with the back of his sleeve. He played with Dean's fingers between his, running his thumb over them as he followed him upstairs and into Dean's room.

Dean held on to his hand, leading the way in to his room before closing and locking the door. He turned and pressed against Cas again, not letting go of his hand until they were kissing. He hooked his arm around Cas's shoulders, pulling him in tightly.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean, holding himself close as he leaned up to kiss him. They slowly walked backwards, somehow avoiding falling and settling on the bed. Dean sat on the bed first and Castiel followed after him, not wanting to break the contact. He hesitated, wondering if he could sit in Dean's lap or sit off the side of him. Dean pulled Cas onto his lap when he hesitated, just wanting him to be closer. They'd been separated for too long, and now Dean wanted as little space between them as possible. His hands pressed tightly against Cas's back and gripping at the back of his shirt.

Castiel moaned softly in Dean's mouth. Everything seemed much more intense and sensitive, it felt like everything was amplified. Castiel moved a hand to Dean's neck, lightly playing with his ear between his fingers before they slid into his hair. It was longer since the last time he's seen Dean. He tangled his fingers in it, pulling softly. His other arm found it's resting on his shoulder as he settled more onto Dean. He scooted closer and adjusted a little.

A slight shiver ran up Deans spine as Cas pulled at his hair. He hadn't quite realized just how much he'd missed the feel of Cas pressed against him. He ran his hand up over Cas's pants before resting lightly on his hip, just under the hem of his shirt so that Dean could drag his fingertips lightly across his skin.

Castiel shivered, moaning into him. He broke the kiss slightly, "Dean..." He breathed against his lips. "I want you so much." He groaned, kissing him again. He lightly rolled his hips down, feeling such a deep stir in his stomach.

"I want you too." Dean murmured, breaking off to kiss along his jaw and suck on the soft skin just below his ear. His hands wound upwards under his shirt before he grew too impatient, grabbing the hem and leaning back just far enough to pull Cas's shirt off.

Castiel lightly shivered above Dean, enjoying the kisses on his neck. He lifted his arms up when Dean tugged his shirt up. He watched Dean toss aside his shirt before he wrapped his arms around Dean again and lightly nipping at his ear as he licked it. He wasn't marked anymore with Dean's marks. He kissed Dean's neck softly before sliding his hands to the hem of Dean's shirt and pulling it over his head too. He tossed the shirt aside quickly before pulling himself close to Dean, feeling his skin press again his.

Dean pressed against him, lightly dragging his nails downwards along Cas's spine before stopping at small of his back. He realized with a jolt that all of his marks had faded, almost as if they'd never been there at all, and he moved to bite Cas's collarbone, sucking the spot and tracing his tongue along the bite. He moved down Cas's chest, leaving little bites all across him, wanting some sort of proof on Cas's skin again. He swiped his tongue across Cas's nipple before tugging lightly on it with his teeth, being slightly rougher than normal.

Castiel arched at his nails, shivering in delight. He was panting over Dean, gasping and making small sounds. He gripped Dean's shoulder and tightened his hand in his hair. He tugged at the ends a bit more before his hand covered his mouth to muffle his moan. His back arched and he tipped his head back slightly as he pushed his hips down onto Dean, rolling against him. He moaned into his hand before panting through his fingers, "Dean...Sam...I can't be quiet.." He breathed out, having another shiver run through him as he covered his mouth again to moan.

Dean paused, breathing against Cas's skin as he thought quickly. He definitely didn't want to make it that painfully obvious, especially with Sam just on the other side of the wall. He glanced around before seeing a pillow and getting an idea. He reached over and grabbed it, keeping a hand on Cas's hip, and wrenching the pillowcase off. He twisted it so it was rope like, glancing up at Cas. "Want to try biting down on this?" He asked, definitely not willing to stop just because Sam was in the other room.

Castiel swallowed, nodding quickly. "Can...can you tie it?" He breathed out. "I don't trust myself to not let go of it." He said. His eyes were dark and he had such a harder time thinking, the room smelled like Dean and having him touching him again after so long was having such an effect on him.

Dean nodded slightly, fitting it against his mouth as Cas opened it. He tied it snugly but carefully, making sure it wasn't too tight. "That okay?" He asked, wanting to make sure it wasn't uncomfortable. He had to admit, despite the fact that he wouldn't get to hear him, seeing Cas like that stirred something hungrily in him.

Castiel nodded, holding onto Dean's shoulders again. He rolled his hips roughly against him, feeling better that he didn't have to think about making sounds. He moaned a bit, but it came out muffled. Dean rocked his hips against him, more confident that Cas wouldn't make too much noise. He scratched his back lightly, tracing his nails down along Cas's side and returned his mouth to his chest.

Castiel shuddered, bowing his back. He gripped Dean's shoulders, digging in slightly. He tipped his head back, moaning against the gag. He just continued to push his hips down on Dean, relieving some of the discomfort. He felt such a stir of arousal. He wanted it so much that he didn't care how desperate he looked, he felt like it. He knew that he would be fine with moaning so he could do what he could without worrying about it. Dean felt Cas pressing their hips together, knowing just how much he wanted this. He pulled hurriedly at the button of his pants, fumbling with it before managing to unhook it. He ran his hands along the inside of the hem before tugging on the belt loops to pull them down slightly. He slid one hand down the front to rock his palm against him, biting at his skin the entire time.

Castiel had a whine in the back of his throat. The gag was dampening from him salivating on it. His eyes were squeezed shut, panting. His head was thrown back, his chest rising and falling quickly. His hand slid into Dean's hair, pulling it as he moved against him. A muffled version of Dean's name was moaned through the gag.

Dean moaned softly into his skin, hardly any sound escaping. He broke off to quickly unbutton his own jeans with his free hand, the sight of Cas already so wrecked sending a hot spike of arousal to his groin. He then tugged his pants more, trying to get them off as he continued palming rocking his hand against Cas. Castiel focused as much as he could to open his eyes and looking back at Dean. He shifted up slightly and moving his hands to help Dean, push off his pants urgently and desperately. He swallowed, hooking his fingers on his own pants and shimmying out of them, trying to get them off.

Dean helped yank Cas's pants off as well as his own, aching desperately. He glanced over at his nightstand, frustrated at how far it seemed, before scooting further up the bed and leaning towards it, yanking open the drawer and grabbing lube with his fingertips. He moved back quickly, hating the distance between them and gripping Cas tightly as he moved to kiss his jaw just below the gag.

Castiel rubbed against Dean, trying to ease their ache. He felt a loss when Dean moved away, he was still touching but not close enough. He felt a clench of his heart, grabbing Dean as soon as he came back and clinging onto him. He moaned softly at the gag. He rubbed his hand over Dean's neck and shoulder. He ran his hand over his back, just touching as he shifted a little for Dean.

Dean shivered lightly under Cas's touch, rocking against him as he squeezed lube on to his fingers. He wrapped his arm around Cas's waist and pulled him closer as his other arm wound around and beneath his thigh, hitching Cas's leg up slightly. He wanted to take things slow but with all the hot and heady air around them he just wanted Cas.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean's shoulders, holding himself up a bit to help him. He shivered in anticipation. He brushed his head by Dean's, unable to kiss him but just being as close as possible. Dean held him close with one hand to help hold him up a little, circling Cas with the other hand before slipping a finger inside. He moved faster than normal, desperate for more. Castiel moaned, dampening the gag even more. He adjusted a little before pushing down on Dean's finger. He didn't feel pain, he was more than ready. He wanted Dean to hurry and be in him already Dean pushed in another a finger, stretching Cas out more as he grabbed the condom, tearing it open with his teeth. He rolled it on hurriedly, stroking himself a few times to relieve the ache.

Castiel swallowed repeatedly, working himself over Dean's fingers, helping him stretch him. He adjusted a little and he felt Dean's fingers press on his prostate. He bit down on the gag, moaning loudly. He couldn't take it. He knew that he would be done if he waited. He didn't want to cum without Dean. He grabbed Dean's wrist, shaking his head. He was shivering, pleasure was bursting through him. He needed Dean now, he didn't care if it was going to hurt, he wanted it. He needed to know that he was really here and that he wasn't going to wake up and be alone again. Something to make him feel it later.

Dean glanced up at him, realizing just how much Cas wanted it. He slipped his fingers out quickly, lifting Cas up slightly to position himself beneath him. His own breathing was ragged, his hands gripping Cas's hips as he pressed himself inside, feeling how tight he was and biting his lips harshly to suppress a moan at feeling.

Castiel groaned at the gag, it hurt but it felt good. It was a mix of both. He gripped Dean's shoulder, resting his head against his. He panted against the gag. He stopped for a minute, adjusting slightly. He wanted Dean to move but he also wanted to sit like his, he could feel Dean in him and they were back together again. Dean let out a shuddering gasp as he started to move, going slower than usual at first but picking up speed more quickly. He took Cas in his hand and stroked him in time with the thrusts, his other hand gripping his hips. He hadn't forgotten how good it felt to be with Cas, but their time apart seemed to only intensify every touch and movement.

Castiel moaned continually through the gag, his eyes were squeezed shut as he gripped Dean's shoulders. He used it as leverage to move up and down against Dean's thrust. His toes curled and his back arched and he was pressed at Dean.

Dean glanced over Cas before pressing his mouth against his shoulder, the sight of him moving and biting at the gag along with the muffled noises made Dean moan into his skin. He quickened his movements, feeling the tension in his gut and knowing he wouldn't last much longer.

Castiel whimpered above Dean, feeling that warm feeling settle in his stomach, building and building. He dug his nails into Dean's shoulder as he moved a bit quicker. He shifted his hips again, trying to find that spot. He moved back down quickly and met Dean's thrust. It hit his prostate and he shuddered completely over Dean, moaning out his name. He bowed his head forward, coming over Dean's hand. He wrapped his arms tightly against Dean, shaking at the aftershocks and sensitivity but kept moving. He was slower but he kept up.

Dean clutched onto Cas, the feel and sound of Cas coming sending him over the edge. He came after a few more thrusts, holding Cas tightly as he breathed heavily against his skin.

Castiel stopped moving, completely pliant above Dean. He rested his head against Dean's shoulder, letting his arms slid down, lazily. He should've removed the gag but he was so relaxed and sated, he didn't care. He snuggled into Dean's neck, inhaling his scent as he closed his eyes. He was careful not to wipe his spit on him.

Deans breathing slowly went back to normal as he sat there, his hand still resting on Cas's hip. He leaned in to Cas's slightly, careful to keep his hand off to the side. He glanced over and remembered that Cas still had their makeshift gag in, but he didn't think he could untie it with one hand. He turned his head slightly and kissed Cas's head, leaving his nose against his hair to breathe him in.

Castiel hummed softly, enjoying the feeling. His hands lazily came up behind his head as he untied the pillowcase gag. His hands dropped right back down after he untied it. He swallowed, not talking yet. The spit that dribbled on his chin had dried mostly so he didn't bother. He held the end of the wet gag in his hand, not sure what to do with it yet. He couldn't think at the moment, all he could do was snuggle into Dean.

Dean hugged him with one arm, resting against him. "I really missed you." He said softly after a few moments, breaking the silence. He tightened his hold slightly, savoring the weight of Cas on top of him and trying to memorize the way their bodies felt against each other.

Castiel hugged Dean tightly, "...I missed you so much. I'm really sorry that it happened." He said softly, clearing his throat a little. He put his head into Dean's neck, "It hurt so much not to see you. So much..." He whispered, hugging himself closer.

Dean held him, gently stroking his back. "It's okay. You're here, I'm here, and we won't let it happen again." He murmured soothingly yet also determinedly. He knew he couldn't go through that again, not ever.

Castiel nodded a little, "I don't want us to be separated, Dean. I know I'm being selfish and involving your family but I don't want to go through that again...I don't want you to go through that again." He said. He didn't want to bring up the idea of Dean leaving him for the better because he doesn't think he'll be able to handle complete rejection from Dean.

"You're not being selfish. I want you here too, and so do Sam and Bobby. They might be a little pissed at first, but once we explain they'll be glad you're back." Dean replied, knowing they wouldn't blame Cas once they knew what had happened. "And I'll never leave you, not willingly." He replied sincerely.

Castiel hugged Dean tightly, not wanting to let go. He nodded as a response. "We should clean up..." He said softly. He realized they haven't moved yet and they were still in the same position. He could still feel Dean settled in him, not that he minded. "...May I use your shower?" He asked after a few moments. "I haven't since I left..." He said quietly.

"Yeah, of course." Dean replied, slowly moving his arm from around him to let him get up. He didn't want to separate yet, but he knew Cas was right- they really needed to get cleaned up. But as ridiculous as it sounded, Dean was afraid that if he let Cas out of his sight that he'd disappear again, or it would all turn out to be a dream.

Castiel didn't let go of Dean even after he moved his arm. He made no movements to leave either, not wanting to put any space between him and Dean. "Do you...do you want to shower together?" he asked. "I...I don't want to leave you...I know that sounds clingy...but I don't want this to turn out to be my imagination." he murmured. "We can both clean up at the same time...so it will benefit us both...if you want." he offered quietly. He didn't know what Dean would think of him being so clingy on him.

Dean smiled slightly, leaning forward to kiss his head lightly. "That sounds good to me. I was actually thinking the same thing." He replied, actually grateful that Cas seemed to be feeling just as clingy as Dean felt. "Plus it saves water and whatever." He added with a grin.

Castiel smiled at Dean, happy that he wasn't weirded by him being really clingy. He leaned forward and kissed Dean before kissing the side of his neck. He left a small mark at the base, seeing as he couldn't leave marks on Dean before. He lifted himself up a little, letting Dean slip out of him. He gasped a little at the lost, moaning slightly. He brushed his head by Dean's and took off the condom and tied it off. He already missed the feeling of Dean settled inside him but didn't say anything. "Do you have any change of clothes I can use?" he asked. "I...I can go home tomorrow and get clothes but I don't have any right now." he said.

Dean let out a soft sigh as Cas lifted himself off of him, immediately missing the feel of him. "Yeah, of course. You can borrow whatever you want. You think it'd be okay to stop by your house tomorrow?" He asked, not wanting to run the risk of Cas being seen or caught or something.

Castiel pressed his lips together, "I'm not sure...I'll have to go see if someone is there." he said. He looked at Dean, "I don't think there would be but I could be wrong." he added. He lightly touched Dean's cheek, "We should go shower. I don't really want to worry about any of that now. I just want us to be together." his eyes glanced from eye to eye.

Dean smiled slightly and nodded. "You're right, let's worry about that later." He replied, catching his hand and standing. He led the way to his bathroom, grabbing a couple of towels on the way and turning on the water. He held his hand under it to feel it warm up, glancing over at Cas. "How hot do you want it?" He asked.

"I don't mind however warm you want it to be, though I prefer not to have it scalding." Castiel replied, squeezing Dean's hand.

"Okay, not scalding it is." Dean replied with a laugh. Once the water warmed up he stepped into the water, pulling Cas along with him. He let the water rush over him for a moment before he stepped back to let Cas stand under it as well.

Castiel stepped in Dean's place, feeling his hair flattening down. He ran a hand through his hair before looking up at Dean. He gently tugged Dean's hand to pull him under the water with him. He wrapped his arms around him so they could take up the same space.

Dean smiled, blinking water out of his eyes. He put his arm around Cas, lifting his other to run through his hair with a grin. He reached over and grabbed the shampoo, squeezing some into his hand and rubbing them together before running his hands through Cas's hair again.

Castiel closed his eyes, resting his forehead Dean's chest. He always loved it when Dean would run his fingers through his hair. It always felt so nice. The smell of the shampoo started filling the bathroom, making the room smell like Dean. It made Castiel relax, just letting Dean wash his hair as he took in the smell.

Dean rubbed and washed Cas's hair slowly, just enjoying having the chance to play with his hair. He rubbed the spare spuds across his back. He moved aside to let the water wash over him, keeping his hands in hair to rinse out all the soap.

Castiel could feel the suds running down, he blinked his eyes once he figured they were fully washed out. He looked up at Dean with a soft smile before taking the same soap and rubbing it between his hands before running it through Dean's hair. He gently massaged Dean's scalp, making his hair foamy. He made sure not to get suds in Dean's eyes and gently pulling him under the water once he was done and saw that he wouldn't get soap in his eyes.

Dean closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of Cas's hands in his hair, squeezing them shut more under the water until the soap was out. He moved his face out if the water again and opened his eyes, smiling at Cas before leaning over and kissing his forehead. He knew Cas wouldn't just vanish when he shut his eyes, but he was still glad to see him standing there in front of him.

Castiel laughed softly, trailing his fingers down Dean's forearms and catching both of his hands in his. He ran his thumbs over his knuckles. He stepped himself closer to him, smiling up at Dean. "It smells like you in here." he commented. "I smell like you now."

Dean grinned, leaning forward and slimming his nose against the skin on his shoulder. "You still smell like you. Like you and me I guess." He chuckled, kissing his shoulder before leaning back again to meet his gaze.

Castiel smiled leaning up slightly to kiss him on the cheek. "I think I like that smell." he said. He wrapped his arms around Dean, hugging him again. He could feel the water wash over them and he was perfectly content.

"I like it too." Dean murmured, closing his eyes again and wrapping his arms around him. He wanted to stay under the water with Cas in his arms, though he knew they would have to get out eventually. But at least they'd get out together, and whatever happened they weren't separating again any time soon.

Castiel hummed softly, holding onto Dean. He started singing softly of songs that Dean showed him, he remembered every word. "I listened to music while I was away. Thinking of a way to relate to you."

Dean smiled softly, listening to Cas sing. "You know all the words?" He asked in surprise, looking down at him. He wondered how often Cas had listened to the music. He realized that he hadn't had anything to remember Cas by, and he tightened his hold on him slightly.

Castiel looked up at Dean, seeing him tightening his hold. He lightly touched Dean's cheek and leaned up to kiss him. "I have a new notebook. Do you think I can leave it here?" He asked. He didn't have many things that people remembered him by, but he knew that Dean had read his poetry before and that was a part of him.

Dean smiled slightly, knowing Cas must've guessed what he'd been thinking but not saying anything about it. "Of course you can leave it here, that'd be cool." He replied, leaning over to kiss him again happily.

Castiel smiled softly, kissing Dean. "Do you think we should get out if the shower now?" He asked. "We've been in here for sometime."

Dean held up a hand and laughed, looking at his pruney fingers. "Yeah, if we stay in here any longer we're gonna shrivel up like raisins." He replied, reluctantly slipping out of Cas's arms to turn off the water and grab the towels, handing one to Cas.

Castiel laughed lightly, taking the towel gratefully. He toweled himself off, smiling at Dean after he saw his fingers. "I don't think I would have noticed if we just stood there in the shower together." He said.

"I don't think I would have either, but Sam and Bobby might be worried." Dean replied with a grin, toweling off his hair and shoulders before wrapping it around his waist.

Castiel dried his hair and the rest of him before doing the same. "Um, I don't really care what clothes you give me. It's up to you." He said. "I'll have to wash my clothes some other time."

Dean nodded, taking Cas's hand again and leading the way out of the bathroom and to his closet. "Hmm. I think most of the stuff I have will be kinda big, but you can wear whatever you want." He said, gesturing to his clothes.

"What will I do for underwear?" He asked, reaching for one shirt. He just pulled out a simple black t-shirt. He glanced at Dean, "I don't think we would sleep with pants." He said.

Dean grabbed a tshirt as well before walking over to a set of drawers, pulling one open and taking out two pairs of boxers. He tossed one pair to Cas before closing the drawer again, walking back over to him. "I hope those are okay, I don't have a lot of variety." He joked.

Castiel caught them, "I don't mind." He chuckled. He slipped the t-shirt on and then the boxers before taking off the towel. They were a little loose on his hips but the t-shirt covered it hanging on his hips. "Where should I put the towel?" He asked. "Also I'm sorry about your pillowcase." He said.

Dean grinned as he slipped on his shirt and boxers. "Don't worry, I don't mind. It'll be fine after a wash anyway. And you can just throw it on the floor in the closet." He added, tossing his own towel on top of a pile of laundry. He glanced back at Cas and smiled slightly at how his clothes were baggy on him.

Castiel put his towel where Dean instructed him to. "I can help you with laundry tomorrow." He said. He looked back at Dean who was smiling at him. "What?" He asked. He glanced down at the clothes he was wearing. "Am I wearing it wrong or something?" He asked.

Dean laughed, walking over to him. "No, you're not wearing it wrong. You just look funny wearing clothes that're too big for you. You look comfortable, though." He added. "Now you're really gonna smell like me. Sorry about that." He joked with a grin.

Castiel smiled, lifting the collar and smelling it, before letting it drop back down. "I don't mind in the least and I don't even think you're actually sorry." he laughed a little. He stepped closer to Dean, looking up at him. "You're not really sorry, are you Winchester?" he asked with an amused face.

Dean smirked and arched a brow. looking at Cas in amusement. "You know what, Milton? You're right. I'm not sorry at all." He replied, breaking into a grin.

"I knew it. Winchesters." Castiel rolled his eyes in a playful annoyance. He had a smile of his own, glancing back at Dean. "Just trying to make me one of you? Clothes, smell, music? I think I'm onto you." he laughed lightly.

"Damn, you figured me out." Dean replied as he played along, shaking his head. "Well, it took you long enough. I mean, you're pretty much already one of us now. I hope you like wearing plaid." He said with a chuckle.

Castiel gasped a little. "Plaid?" he said in fake horror. "What will you do if I don't like plaid?" he asked. He smiled at Dean, "Plaid doesn't look nice on me, I can't be a Winchester if I don't like plaid." he chuckled.

Dean matched his expression of horror. "Who doesn't like plaid? Is that even possible?" He asked, shaking his head slightly. "Plaid looks good on everyone. You can't just not like plaid." He protested, grinning. "You keep spending time with us, Milton, and you'll be bleeding the stuff in no time."

"Bleeding plaid? I think that's a medical problem." Castiel chuckled. "I suppose I can grow to like them, since they look so nice on you Winchesters." He looked up at Dean.

"You better grow to like it, it's pretty much all you'll be seeing if you're staying here." Dean replied with a smile, liking the thought of Cas staying with them for a while. He wasn't sure how long Cas would stay, but as long as the company was after him then he was more than welcome to stay. He stepped forward and looped his arms around Cas, resting his hands on the small of his back.

Castiel smiled, stepping closer to Dean and wrapping his arms around him. He looked down at Dean's clothes then back up at him. "Hmm. I'd prefer to see you out of them." He smirked, putting on an innocent face.

"That almost sounds like an invitation." Dean replied with a smirk, arching a brow. "You've gone from pretty much no idea of sex at all to making seductive remarks to the guy you just slept with. Did I corrupt you that much?" He asked with a grin.

Castiel laughed lightly, smiling back at Dean. "Only for you will I try to make advanced at." He said. He stepped closer, holding the hem of Dean's shirt and looking up at him. "Did it work?" He asked.

Dean chuckled. "Coming from you, yeah." He said, taking the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head before letting it drop on the ground. "It's exactly fair if I'm shirtless and you're not, though." He replied with fake innocence.

Castiel chuckled, "But if I take off your shirt then I'm not a Winchester anymore." He looked up at Dean, batting his lashes at him. "I like to have your smell on me." He tightened his arms around Dean, having them pressed closely.

"So you get to wear my shirt and have me shirtless." Dean replied, shaking his head slightly. "See, that's just not fair at all to me. You gotta even this out somehow." He said with a grin, raising his brows expectantly.

Castiel arched a brow with a small smile. "How should I ever make it up to you?" He asked, leaning up to give him a quick kiss. "I'm at your will for whatever you want, but I can think of something." He chuckled.

"At my will for anything?" Dean replied with a smirk. "I like the sound of that. What's your idea?" He asked, thinking that he'd probably like whatever Cas was thinking of.

Castiel smiled, "Well... I know that thanksgiving is coming up and I think you would really like pie." He chuckled. "It's not sexual but I think you would call this even if I made you pie and spend the night cuddling." He said.

Dean immediately perked up. "Pie? Hell yeah that makes us even!" He replied with a grin. "What kind are you going to make?" He asked excitedly. Cuddling up with Cas and having him make pie made them more than even.

Castiel laughed happily at the excited Dean, "I was thinking Apple. I really like the cinnamon Apple smell. Are you okay with that? I can make another pie if you want something else." He said.

"No, apple pie is perfect. It's one of my favorites." Dean replied with a grin. "I love the smell too- and it's perfect for thanksgiving. Thanks in advance." He added, smiling and leaning in to kiss him softly.

Castiel leaned in and kissed Dean back. "Are we even then?" He asked, tracing his fingers across Dean's back.

Dean smiled and nodded, shivering slightly under Cas's touch. "Yeah, I think we're even." He replied contentedly.

Castiel smiled, kissing Dean's jaw and places on his neck as he ran his fingers down his spine. He could feel the ridges and muscles moving. "Mmm, that's good." He mumbled.

Dean tightened his hold on Cas slightly, enjoying the feeling of the kisses he hadn't been able to give with the gag. He tilted his head to the side slightly and closed his eyes, just enjoying the sensation.

Castiel licked his neck softly after his kisses. He would leave little bite marks on his collarbone and little hickies. He rested his hand on Dean's shoulder blades, holding him.

Dean let out a soft breath, not quite a moan. He knew Cas was leaving little marks on him and he hoped they would last. He'd gone too long with unmarked skin, without touches across his back and shoulders, and he wanted his skin to be a reminder that this was real.

Castiel rested his lips on the base of his neck, just staying there. He hugged Dean closely and tightly. He left enough marks on his skin, taking in his warmth. He missed Dean a lot, he felt so empty without him. His world seemed brighter and more enjoyable with Dean in his life but when he was gone, everything was bleak and dull. The only thing that really kept him going was that Dean was still there but as days progressed he was worried Dean had forgotten him, but he was determined to tell Dean what had happened, even if Dean no longer wanted him. He didn't have anything to fight for before but Dean was worth it, more than enough. He would have given up if he didn't have anything to look forward to and just did writing as a hobby but he wasn't going to give in. He wanted to see and be with Dean more than his writing dream. He kissed the spot again, not saying much. "I missed you." He said softly.

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas's shoulders, holding him against his chest. He'd never been as miserable as he had been when Cas was away, spending the whole time wondering what had happened to him and if he was even coming back. "I missed you too." He replied softly, his hand rising to rest against the back of his head.

Castiel pulled back slightly, looking up at Dean. He stared for a moment before he leaned up and have him a soft and sweet kiss. "I really like you Dean and sometimes...that scares me but it also calms me, but I don't really mind that I feel that way. It's more than feeling nothing." He said quietly. His eyes shifted between each eye. He lightly stroked Dean's cheek, just keeping his gaze.

"It scares me too. I've never felt like this with anyone before, and when you disappeared..." Dean trailed off. "I wouldn't trade this for anything, but I can't go through that again. I know it wasn't your fault and I don't blame you, but I can't go through that again... I need you." He said softly, meeting his gaze.

"I don't want you ever to go through that again. I didn't even want you to go through it the first time... I'm sorry Dean. I'm sorry you went through that, to suffer because of me. I'm sorry." Castiel stroked his cheek, looking at him with sadness and remorse. "I…I need you too. More than you know..." He said softly in a vulnerable tone.

"Then I guess we need each other." Dean replied softly, smiling a little. "And you're not the one that made me suffer- your family was. You went through just as much as me, maybe even more. I still had everyone here to help me out, everyone but you. You didn't have anyone." He said, frowning. He hated that Cas had been completely alone, and he hated that he hadn't been able to help him at all. It made him feel useless.

Castiel smiled sadly, "I'm used to it. More than you are. I don't really expect anyone to help me, so I'm not one to think if it too often. It's sad but that's how I grew up." He said.

"Well, you're not alone anymore. I'd do anything to help you, really. And so would all of the others. You have us to rely on- you have me." Dean replied, stroking Cas's cheek with his thumb. "And not even your brother can change that." He added firmly.

Castiel's face softened, he leaned into the touch. "Thank you, Dean." He said, putting his hand over Dean's and leaning up to kiss him.

Dean returned the kiss softly, pressing against him gently. He kept their faces close as he pulled back, smiling slightly. "Anytime." He replied quietly.

Castiel rubbed his nose across from Dean's, like a small affectionate kiss. He leaned up and kissed Dean's eyelids. He littered his face with kisses. He cupped Dean's face and kissed his cheeks before placing a last one before he stilled for a moment and blew a raspberry. He grinned and blew them all over Dean's cheeks, laughing.

Dean closed his eyes as Cas kissed him, breaking into a wide grin as he blew a raspberry on his cheeks. He laughed, scribbling his fingers up Cas's sides.

Castiel yelped, letting go of Dean's face and trying to stop Dean's fingers. He was laughing and trying to scramble away. He turned in Dean's arms, struggling. His face got red as he giggled and laughed. "DeeEEEEAnnn." He squealed. "StahaAHHAHAP!" He twisted away from Dean, trying to run away from him.

Dean laughed and stopped tickling him, but wrapped his arms around Cas so he couldn't get away. "Hey, you started it." He said with a grin, kissing his shoulder lightly and chuckling.

Castiel panted a little, laying kind of limp in Dean's arms. His cheeks were lightly red. He giggled, "I know, but it's fun tickling you." He said.

Dean grinned, glad to see Cas look the happiest he'd seen him since he'd gotten back. "Yeah, it's fun tickling you too." He replied, wiggling his fingers beneath Cas's ribs again quickly.

Castiel laughed, wiggling in his arms. "Deeeean!" He squealed. He made no real attempt to get out of Dean's arms though he was being tickled. He didn't actually mind so much being tickled by Dean. He giggled, happily, cheeks turning more red.

Dean laughed, wrapping his arms around Cas tightly and kissed his shoulder. "You've got a good laugh, Cas." He said, resting his chin on Cas's shoulder. "I like hearing it." He added with a grin, tickling his sides again briefly.

Castiel giggled in his arms, "Yo-you-re so mEEaannn." He laughed out. His hair was starting to stick to his face as his cheeks reddened. He was laughing too much to muster the strength to struggle. He just wiggled in Dean's arms.

Dean smiled and stilled his fingers, keeping his arms around Cas. "Sorry, couldn't resist." He said. "Actually, I'm not sorry, but you probably figured that." He added with a laugh, just holding Cas.

Castiel panted in his arms, laying limp, giggling still. "I...know...you're...not." He breathed out. "You...would've...stopped earlier." He added.

Dean nodded, still grinning. "Yeah, you're right, I'm not sorry at all. You're laugh is too nice, not my fault." He said innocently, holding Cas up against him.

Castiel took a few more deep breaths, calming his breathing down. "Too nice? What's that supposed to mean?" He glanced back at Dean with a smile. He rested his hands over Dean's.

"It means I've missed the sound. And I have an excuse to tickle you so I can hear it." Dean replied, leaning his forehead against Cas's. "You're lucky I don't keep going."

"I'll get you back for it." Castiel smiled. He wouldn't admit it, but he let Dean tickle him the second time. Dean looked happier after he tickled him.

"Mm, I know you will." Dean replied with a chuckle. He leaned back slightly, enjoying the happy flush on his cheeks. "I'm sure you will."

Castiel smiled, leaning in and kissing Dean. "I think we're more than even now." He said. He ran a hand through his hair, smoothing out the ones that stuck to his forehead. "I'm hot." He sighed, having Dean tickle him made him sweat a little and his skin heat up.

"Well, I guess I'll stop tickling you, and we can sit down or something. Or you can always take off your clothes." Dean replied, fighting a grin. "I mean, I wouldn't mind." He said innocently.

Castiel lightly shoved Dean, "We are way more than even." He laughed. He hummed softly, shifting in Dean's arms. He took Dean's hands in his and shifted them to his hem and got him to hold it and pull it over his head. He chuckled, stepping away from Dean and plopping down on the bed. "I'll just do all three." He said, leaving Dean with his shirt.

Dean grinned, tossing Cas's shirt beside his and going to the bed. He sat down beside him, shifting towards the center of the bed. "I like doing all three." He said, only not putting his arms around him again because he'd said he was warm.

Castiel looked at Dean, before scooting in and wrapping his arms around him. "I'm hot but I can deal with being a little more hot." He said. He smiled softly.

Dean smiled, scooting closer and pulling Cas in. "Good. I was hoping you'd say that." He said with a chuckle. "So you hitchhiked across states to come see me. Gonna be honest, that sounds like knight material, not damsel."

Castiel laughed lightly, "Is it? I guess I have a bit of both or maybe just a courageous damsel." He replied. "Besides you said I never needed saving anyways, I just wanted to keep my knight and I do." He added, squeezing Dean softly.

"I like that better anyway. Less pressure if I'm here just 'cause you want me." Dean replied with a light laugh, shifting slightly against Cas. He wasn't sure how long it would take for him to be able to put some space between Cas and him, but for tonight he just wanted closeness. He rested his cheek against Cas's shoulder, letting out a soft, contented sigh.

Castiel pinched his brows slightly, the way it came out and how Dean responded sounded wrong. He wanted Dean yes but it was more than to satisfy a simple want. He leaned his head onto Dean's, lightly stroking his back. He would keep the thought to himself, thinking that he was thinking too much about it.

Dean closed his eyes to focus on Cas stroking his back, realizing how exhausted he was but not wanting to sleep just yet. He was still slightly afraid that he'd go to sleep and realize that this all had just been some fantastic dream. "What's on your mind?" He asked, noticing Cas's silence as he blinked his eyes open again to glance up at Cas from the corner of his eye.

"...You." Castiel replied. He trailed his fingers down Dean's back. He didn't know how to phrase his thoughts. Dean thought that he only wanted him and that's what kept him going but it was more than that. He moved his other arm slowly to cradle Dean's head, carding his fingers through his hair.

"'M flattered." Dean replied drowsily, leaning gently into the touch. He felt completely relaxed and at ease, letting his eyes close again and focusing on how nice Cas's hands felt against the skin of his back and running through his hair. "You're gonna make me fall asleep." He told Cas, his sleepiness slurring the words slightly.

Castiel closed his eyes, scooting closer to Dean. He felt tired too, so hearing Dean so drowsy made him notice it. He still ran his hand on Dean's back and slowly stopped running his fingers through his hair and just leaving it there. All the time he spent moving about came back and he was exhausted. "...Goodnight Dean." He said softly.

"G'night Cas." Dean murmured, already half asleep. He wrapped his arm around Cas, and knowing that he would still be there in the morning lulled him fully to sleep.

Castiel turned his head a little, kissing the top of Dean's head before settling back in and slowly falling asleep after. He woke up a few hours later, having a bad dream. He dreamt of coming back here and it turning out to go a completely opposite way than how he came here. He glanced over quickly at Dean to see him still there. He relaxed a little, thinking it was just a dream but it was so vivid and clear, it was hard to believe that.

Dean felt Cas move slightly beside him and blinked open his eyes. He smiled slightly that Cas was there but it quickly turned into a frown. Cas looked upset or spooked, and it was still dark out so it couldn't be morning. "You okay?" He asked, propping himself up on an elbow and rubbing his eyes with one hand.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, relaxing a bit more. It only had to be a dream, Dean was here and talking. He nodded a little, "Just a bad dream..." He said softly. "I'm sorry, I woke you up."

"S'okay, I don't mind." Dean replied, scooting closer to Cas. "What was it about?" He asked as he snaked his arm around Cas's shoulders comfortingly. "I mean, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but it was only a dream. Everything's okay."

Castiel looked up at Dean then down a little. "I...I dreamt that when I came back that you would take this completely different. You wouldn't care what I had to say, make me leave, you had someone else... that I would be dragged back to the corporation but it wouldn't have mattered anymore. You didn't want me..." He got progressively quieter, his voice broke a little at the end.

Dean blinked, moving closer and holding him a little more tightly. He'd assumed Cas had been dreaming about his family or past bullies or something- he never would've thought it had been about him. "It's okay, it was just a dream. I still want you and I'm never going to make you leave. It's alright." He said soothingly, running his hand against Cas's arm.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean, whimpering softly. "It was so real..." He murmured. He buried himself into Dean, still feeling the slightly uneasiness that he was still sleeping.

Dean held on to him, rubbing his back soothingly. "It's okay, it was a dream. This is real. I'm real, and I'm here." He said, surprised at how affected Cas was by the dream. "And I'll still be here when you wake up tomorrow."

Castiel was silent, nodding a little. He kept his face buried in Dean, hugging him tightly. He felt a bit better but the thought kept running in his head. He felt hurt but comforted by Dean.

Dean continued to stroke his back, leaning down and kissing the top of his head lightly. He figured they'd both be wary for a while until they got used to having each other there again. His hand slowed slightly as he started nodding off again. Castiel slowly breathed out, feeling better with Dean stroking his back. He slowly dozed off, feeling Dean stop his hands too. He didn't dream again that night, just thought of the warmth around him.


	9. Our First Night Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because of family problems, Castiel has to live with Dean and this is their first night together.

Cas blinked awake later, still having Dean and him wrapped around each other. He didn't move, just laid in his arms. Dean woke up slowly, feeling Cas against him before he opened his eyes. He glanced down, unsure if Cas was awake, and started lightly stroking his back again, figuring it probably wouldn't wake him up. Castiel sighed softly into the bed, coming closer to Dean.

"Morning." Dean said with a slight smile. "You feeling better?" He asked, hoping the nightmare wasn't as vivid now or that Cas was less bothered by it.

Castiel nodded a little, "Yes, I feel better." He said. He was a little weary of the thought, but having Dean holding him put him more at ease. "Good morning, Dean." He added, looking up at him.

"Morning." Dean replied, smiling at him. "So I guess we're gonna have to explain some stuff to Sam and Bobby, but I know they'll understand. They won't be mad once they hear you out. And then we'll swing by your house to get whatever you need, right? Anything else we gotta do?" He asked, not wanting to do anything yet but figuring they ought to plan out what needed to get done.

"We have to do your laundry, and I can cook breakfast." Castiel added. "I don't think there's much else that we have to do." He hummed, thinking about it. He hugged Dean, "What if they are mad? Would I have to go home?" He asked.

Dean tightened his hold protectively on Cas. "No. They might be a little pissed at first, but they'll understand it wasn't your fault. They have to. And even if they don't, I'm not letting you go back alone." Dean replied determinedly. There was no way he would let Cas go again, especially somewhere his family knew so well. "If they're mad, they'll just have to deal with it."

Castiel looked up at Dean, "But they would be mad for a good reason, Dean. If they want me to leave, why would I go against that? They care about you." He said.

Dean sighed. "I know they do. They mean well. But I care about you, and I want you to stay." He replied. Would they really try to kick Cas out? Sam did seen pretty pissed when he'd first shown up, but surely they'd understand, right? "They'll realize it wasn't your fault and it won't happen again, and everything'll go back to how it was before." He said, trying to convince himself as much as Cas. "It'll be fine."

Castiel nodded slightly. "Okay." He replied. "Do you want to go see them now to get it over with? Then we can deal with everything else later." He offered, looking at him.

Dean thought for a moment before sighing and nodding. "Yeah, let's just get it over with." He agreed reluctantly, slowly untangling himself from Cas and sliding off the bed. "Then we can just do whatever and not worry about it." He added, scooping up their shirts and tossing Cas's to him.

Castiel picked up the shirt and slid it on. "Do you think I should put on pants? I don't want them to not take me seriously." He said. He slowly slid off the bed and stood on the side, he hurt a little, but it was fine with him. It was a good reminder.

Dean laughed a little, pulling on his shirt. "Yeah, I think you'll want pants." He replied, walking over to his closet. "I think I have a pair of jeans that might fit." He said, digging around for a second before tossing a pair towards Cas and pulling out another for himself. "Are you sore? I still have painkillers." He offered, noticing how slowly Cas got up.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, "No, it's fine, I don't mind. I can still move, and it's not that bad." He said, slowly sliding on the pants. They were slightly big on him, but they weren't going to fall off. The shirt covered up the baggy look.

Dean nodded, pulling on his pants and running his hand over his face. "Alright, we ready?" He asked, glancing over at him. "Wait, hang on." He said, walking over to him and running a hand through Cas's hair, fixing it slightly. "There, now at least it's a little less obvious." He said, grinng slightly at him.

Castiel watched him as he approached and then he ran his hand through his hair and made a happy sound. "Okay." He said after Dean finished running his hand through his hair. He smiled a little. "Let's go."

Dean took a deep breath and nodded, giving him a smile. He led the way out of his room, heading downstairs where he assumed Bobby and Sam would be. They were standing in the kitchen talking, and Dean realized it must be about Cas because they stopped as soon as they walked in.

Bobby's gaze went from Dean to Cas, eyes narrowing "Now what in the hell-" he started angrily before Dean interrupted, stepping forward.

"Bobby, wait, just give him a chance to explain, alright?" He said, glancing between the two and hoping they would listen.

Sam sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Okay. Explain." He crossed his arms.

Castiel twisted his fingers a little. "I was at my family's business headquarters for the last week and a half. I was taken early in the morning and I was kept there until I agreed to work. I had no phone connection to call anyone so I had to just make a choice. I chose to work, only knowing that would be the only way to get my brother to trust me. After he started to relax, I left. I had to hitchhike back here from a few states. I only thought of coming here to explain to Dean. If he wanted me or not, that didn't matter. He deserves an explanation. He's what kept me going instead of giving up and I'm sorry I put him through that. He didn't deserve any of that. He deserves better, yet he for some reason chooses me." He explained. "I hope that I can live up to someone Dean would actual deserve to be with and not have to put him through any suffering. I'm sorry for putting all of you in the middle as well. I'm truly very sorry." He bowed his head a little.

Dean stood beside Cas as he explained, trying to read their faces and gauge what they were thinking. He slipped his fingers through Cas's as he finished, giving them a light squeeze. Bobby's features soften slightly from a scowl to just a frown, brow creased.

"You're own family kidnapped you?" He clarified, shaking his head slightly. "So this wasn't completely your fault. But how do we know it won't happen again?" He asked, thinking that if Castiel had run away, then his family would surely come after him again. And if they were coming back, maybe more distance between Castiel and Dean wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Sam nodded, "Yeah. It didn't seem like your family is the giving up type, seeing how things turned out." He said.

Castiel pressed his lips together, "I'm moving out as soon as I graduate, and I would be a legal adult at that time so they don't have a hold over me anymore. It would be a real kidnapping. I will be free to do what I want to." He replied. "But until then, you're right. I don't know... but I'm prepared next time. I thought that I could trust them a little, but I was wrong." He added.

"And if he stays here, he'd be more protected than alone at his house." Dean chimed in, encouraged by the fact that no one seemed too upset.

Bobby frowned, not liking the suggestion. "I don't know, Dean. You were a wreck while he was gone. Maybe a little distance between you two would be good in case things go south again." He said, though he knew they wouldn't like it.

Sure enough, Dean tensed slightly beside Cas. "Nothing's going south again. It'll be fine this time." He said resolutely.

Castiel frowned sadly, making himself a bit smaller. He squeezed Dean's hand a little. "Dean...he's right. You'll feel better if we weren't always together all the time..." He said softly. "You wouldn't be in so much pain if my family intrudes..." He had a lot reasons on why that would be good for Dean, but the more he said the more upset he got.

"No, no, he doesn't have a point." Dean replied, glancing at Bobby and then Cas. "I'd just be more miserable without you, and feel even worse if your family snatched you again because I'd feel like I'd wasted the time we actually did have." He told Cas, turning back to the others. "Look, I could keep it together if this happened again. I'd know what was up, and I'd know Cas was pretty much okay." He lied easily, almost believing it himself. He knew that if it happened again he'd be just as miserable, if not more, but he couldn't let them know that.

Castiel opened his mouth to question Dean and deny it but Sam spoke up first, "Yeah, and if you can't then what? You'll be laying around moping and being depressed again. You didn't really eat, talk, anything. You just closed yourself off. You didn't even talk to us! You just spent all day on the impala and shooting. That's not really handling it, Dean. You know maybe some space between you in Cas won't be bad. You'll still see each other." He said.

Castiel's frown deepened, looking over at Dean. He didn't realize how bad it was for Dean and he knew from what he said earlier, sounded like a lie on his behalf. He never wanted to be separate and Dean was right on how if he got separated, he would feel bad that he didn't spend more time with him, but having Dean suffer like that because of him made his stomach churn and heart drop.

"Sam's right. I think it'd be good for both of you." Bobby added in agreement.

Dean glanced between the two, realizing that he and Cas were steadily losing. Why did they have to be so damn concerned? Anger he could deal with, but this was so much worse. "Yeah, okay, I was wreck when Cas left, I know. But you can't just send him off to his house again totally alone. That's the first place his family'll look, and there won't be anyone to stand in their way." Dean said, taking a breath and thinking quickly. "What if he just stays over Thanksgiving break? Give his family a chance to calm down at least." He compromised, hoping that he could buy some time and that by the end of the break they'd be more willing to let Cas stay.

Sam glanced between Dean and Cas, then looked over at Bobby. Dean really wanted Cas to stay, and he could see that. Break wasn't that long. Bobby sighed, "Okay, fine. He can stay over the break, but after that...we'll figure out something." He said.

Castiel held Dean's hand tightly, he looking down with guilt and sadness. He definitely did not want to part ways, but Sam and Bobby had good points. If they had some space between them, then Dean would be better.

"Just til the end of the break." Bobby repeated, knowing how much it meant to Dean. He looked between the two, still worried, before walking out of the kitchen. Dean let out a breath of relief, turning to smile at Cas, but frowning instead when he saw how upset he looked. "Hey, Cas, it's okay. I know it's not much, but we'll figure something out." He said.

Castiel nodded, not exactly looking up at Dean yet. Sam sighed and went back upstairs. He would have to talk to Cas about things later. Castiel just held onto Dean's hand even though he should have let go. Dean waited until Sam had left before turning to fully face Cas, his free hand tucking under his chin and pulling his face up gently. "I know you wanted more time, I want you to stay longer too, but at least we've got some time now, right?" He said, thinking that Cas must be upset that he'd only get to stay until the end of the break.

Castiel slowly looked up at Dean, "Dean...maybe...maybe they're right. Maybe I should go home." He looked away again. "I'm just something bad waiting to happen..." He said.

Dean felt his stomach drop and he tightened his hand around Cas's. "No, they're not right. Cas, really, I want you to stay. You're not something bad just waiting to happen- you're the best thing that's happened to me." He said pleadingly. "Yeah, I was a mess when you were gone, but it was still worth it. I never regretted you, no matter how bad it got."

"I'm not worth your pain Dean. You have suffered a lot. You should find someone who could make you happy all the time and not have a chance of them disappearing. You deserve more than me. I don't want to go home or leave you but...it would be better for you. There're still months left of school, and I don't know what'll happen between that time, and I never want you to suffer like you did." Castiel said in one breath, knowing that if he didn't get it all out at once his voice would crack and get weaker. He didn't meet Dean's stare because his face would have told that everything he said hurt him just as much.

Dean felt a sudden fear grip him, and he tried to get a Cas to meet his gaze. "Cas, stop, don't say that. It's going to be fine, okay? I don't want anyone else." He said desperately. Cas couldn't leave him. He just couldn't. Dean wouldn't be able to handle knowing that Cas had left him on his own free will, with no one else forcing him. "Cas, please." He whispered, wishing he would meet his gaze.

Castiel felt his stomach churn sickeningly. He didn't want to make a choice and leaving Dean would do more than hurt him but he thought of whether this would be better for Dean in the long run. He had liked females before him, maybe he was just a phase Dean was going through. He didn't know what the future would be like, maybe Dean wanted kids. He was thinking way too far into it, but everything seemed to be better for Dean in the long run. He wanted to be selfish no matter how much he knew that Dean could be better without him or even if he was a phase. He would stretch it as far as it would go, and when the day where Dean won't want him anymore, he'd just have to let go. He looked down at their hands, feeling a painful squeeze in his heart. He took a few breaths to calm his emotions. He slowly looked up at Dean and he could feel the heartbreak.

He swallowed thickly, "I'm...I'm not leaving..." He said softly. He was going to be selfish, and he felt a sense of guilt and relief. "I'm staying Dean... I'm not going anywhere." He rubbed his thumb across Dean's knuckles. "I'm sorry I brought that up." He made sure to keep his emotions under control from seeping onto his face.

Dean felt a slight relief at Cas's words, but it disappeared quickly when he met Cas's eyes. He tried to gauge his expression, but he couldn't. Did Cas actually want to leave? The thought twisted his heart painfully, but he couldn't read his eyes for any sign of what he was thinking. "You do... You want to stay, right?" He asked softly, for once not caring how pathetic he sounded.

Castiel's eyes softened, pushing the other emotions aside for another time. He could think about it when he wouldn't have to let Dean know or worry about it. He gently caught Dean's other hand in his. "Yes. I really do want to stay, more than anything." he said. He looked up at Dean with a more relaxed expression. "I'm not leaving Dean. It'll be fine." he added, rubbing his thumb in his hands.

Dean relaxed, squeezing Cas's hands slightly. "Good. We'll figure it out. It'll be fine." He repeated, smiling slightly. "You almost gave me a heart attack, though." He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood a little. He knew there was still something Cas wasn't telling him, but he'd said he would stay and that was Dean's main concern for now.

Castiel smiled lightly and was going to say something before their stomach growled a little. He chuckled quietly, "We should go make breakfast. Do you think we have any supplies?" He asked. He was going with a happier mood, trying to put it behind them.

"I think we have eggs and some stuff." Dean replied, more than happy to go back to being content and not thinking about it. "Man, I've missed your cooking." He added with a grin.

"Just eggs?" Castiel arched a brow. "I think we can figure something, if not maybe we can walk to the store?" He offered.

"Yeah, we can walk all the way to the store if you want. Or... We can drive." Dean said, breaking into a wide grin. "I finished the impala while you were gone. I haven't actually taken her for a spin yet, but she's good as new, basically." He told Cas, excited. He had actually finished a little more than a week after Cas had been gone, since he'd done little else, but he had kept making up other things to work on and tweak to keep himself busy.

Castiel made a surprised face, before grinning in excitement. "You're serious? You finished the impala? I would love to!" He exclaimed. "I don't know if we need anything, but can we go anyway? Please?" He asked.

Dean grinned and nodded, Cas's excitement adding to his own. He kept a hold of one of Cas's hands as he headed towards the back door, grabbing the keys from a hook. "I can't wait. I haven't even started her yet, but I know she'll run." He said, glancing at Cas with a smile as they got to the car. He stepped forward, pulling off the sheet over it with a flourish, and smiling proudly.

Castiel's eyes widened a bit, she was polished and sleek. He didn't even want to run his fingers over the car, afraid to leave streaks. He looked away from her, back to Dean. "She's beautiful. She was before you fixed her completely but she's just...wow. I don't have a word for it." he looked back at her in awe. "How'd you do it? She looks brand new." he said impressed.

"I spent a lot of time on her." Dean replied, glancing from the impala to Cas's revered expression. "And I mean a lot. But anyway, c'mon, I'm dying to hear her." He said, walking over to the driver's side. He put his hand on the handle, running his thumb across the cool metal before pulling it open and sliding inside.

Castiel looked a bit sad after he said that, but didn't let it sit for long before he went into the car after Dean and sat in the passenger side. He sat in the car, looking over the interior. It was really well kept and he was still not over the fact on how Dean got her to look so perfect. He looked over at Dean and waited for him to start her.

Dean rested his hand on the steering wheel, glancing at Cas again as he slid the key into the ignition. "Here we go, baby." He murmured to the impala, turning the key and listening as the ignition sparked. The engine roared into life, Dean beamed. "Oh yeah, she's ready to go." He said with a chuckle, shifting into drive and pulling carefully out and around the other cars, switching gears and accelerating quickly once they had straight road to go on.

Castiel had some adrenaline coursing through him as he was excited. She drove so easily and she sounded great. He looked over at Dean with a grin, who was in return, beaming. "You're amazing. I don't even know how you did it. She's perfect, you're so good at fixing up cars." He praised.

"Thanks. She is pretty great, huh?" Dean replied proudly. "She drives just how I remember. Except now I'm actually legal to drive, and she's mine." He said with a chuckle, enjoying the freedom of the almost empty road and speeding up some more.

"You drive her before when you were younger?" Castiel asked. He was enjoying the fast speed, not at all bothered by it.

"Yeah just a couple times." Dean replied, not really wanting to delve into that. "And now I can drive you around instead of the other way around. If you want, I mean." He added.

"I don't mind. Either is fine with me." Castiel didn't ask about the first place. "I was never that fond of driving anyway." He chuckled.

"Really? It always calms me down." Dean replied. "Problems just don't seem as bad when you've got a road stretching out beneath you, knowing you could just keep driving." He glanced over at Cas. "Not that I would, of course, but I like having the option." He added as he pulled into the parking lot of the store.

"A long drive to nowhere. I like that thought." Castiel replied. "Take yourself far away with nothing to worry about." He hummed softly. "I wish someday we could do that. Let you take me far far away..." He mumbled underneath his breath quietly.

Dean parked, looking over at Cas with a sad smile. "I wish we could do that too. And maybe one day we can." He added, wishing that maybe they could. He would love to just leave behind all of his problems, all the things that weighed heavy in his heart. But as much as he wanted to just keep driving and never look back, Dean couldn't do that to Sam. Not while he still needed him.

Castiel returned his sad smile, "When we're older, will you still take me on that adventure?" He asked. He didn't know if Dean would even still be in his life years later, he hoped it, wished it more than anything, that he will still have interest in him.

Dean smiled and nodded. "Of course. We'll go wherever we want, no one to stand in our way." He said, hoping that one day they would. For now it was a nice dream, something to hope for. "It'll be amazing."

Castiel smiled, "I'll remember that." He said. "C'mon let's go get something to make before we starve and everyone else." He said, reaching for the handle.

"Yeah, good point. I'm starving enough as it is." He replied with a grin, getting out of the car and locking it once Cas got out as well. "So what're you thinking we should get?" He asked as they walked to the store.

Castiel hummed softly, taking Dean's hand without a care of everyone else at this point. "I don't know, but I think we'll find something." He said. He walked into the store, slowly wandering around. "What is good for a breakfast food?" He asked.

Dean shrugged, walking around with him. He was a little surprised that Cas took his hand, but he didn't mind at all. "I dunno. What would you eat? I'm just a cereal kind of guy usually, so I don't have too many ideas."

Castiel glanced back at him with a smile, "I had the best cereal at your house." He said before turning forward again. "I think we should make omelets. Sound good?" He asked.

Dean laughed. "What can I say, I make a mean bowl of cereal." He joked. "And omelets sound awesome. Probably better than even my best cereal."

Castiel laughed lightly, "We should make hash browns too." He added. "What else do you add to that breakfast? Toast?" He asked. He felt happier.

"Oh, yeah, hash browns and toast! That sounds awesome." Dean replied, getting more and more hungry as they talked about it.

Castiel chuckled with a smile and picked up supplies. He chose white bread like Dean had said before, chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, onions, whatever else he needed. He hummed softly, "We would need to come back later in the day after we finish laundry and go to my house to pick up supplies for tomorrow." He smiled back at Dean. "Are you okay with that?" He asked.

Dean followed him around happily, still holding on to his hand. "Sounds good to me." He replied with a smile, watching Cas choose all of the ingredients. He was perfectly content to go anywhere with Cas, even doing the boring things like laundry.

"I think we're done." Said Castiel. He had a filled basket and he looked back at Dean. He smiled at his happy face and walked him to the checkout line. The cashier looked between them, "Find everything okay?" She asked after looking up from their hands.

Castiel nodded, "Yes we did. Thank you." He replied.

The girl scanned everything in, "That'll be 19.45, please." she said.

Dean pulled out his wallet before Cas had a chance to offer to pay, though he realized there was a good chance he'd spent a lot of his money just getting back. "I got it." He said, handing the cashier a twenty.

The cashier took it, ".55 as your change." She ripped the receipt and gave it to them. "...I wish my girlfriend would be this open about our relationship." she said longingly. Castiel had picked up the bags of food when Dean paid, not letting go of his hand.

Dean blinked in surprise. He'd assumed that the cashier had some sort of problem when they were holding hands, not that she was envious. "Yeah, it's, uh, pretty great." He replied with a slight smile, walking towards the exit with Cas.

"Yeah, I'll talk to her about it... Have a nice day." The cashier waved.

Castiel smiled at the cashier, "It'll get better. Just wait, she probably wants to be open about it too." he said. He walked with Dean out to the car, feeling happy. He squeezed Dean's hand, "That was nice, I never had someone have a good comment about gay relationships before, beside people we know." he said.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, same. Most people aren't really okay with it, or that's what I thought." He replied. "But it was nice. It's too bad most people have to hide."

Castiel sighed softly, "It'll get better for everyone." He said. "Let's go home, I think I would like to eat now." He said.

Dean nodded, sliding back into the impala and wondering slightly how long it would take for it to get better. He pushed the thought out of his mind though, wanting to just be happy with Cas again.

Castiel hummed softly, "Can I hold your hand or do you need both hands to drive?" He asked, looking over at Dean.

"I can manage with one." Dean replied with a grin, holding out his hand to take Cas's after he shifted into drive.

Castiel smiled happily, taking Dean's hand and lacing his fingers through it. He lightly squeezed Dean's hand. They talked a little on the drive home but kept a comfortable silence. Only when they finally got home that they had to let go of their hands. They walked inside the kitchen, setting things down. Castiel remembered where everything was and took out a pan and washed everything. He didn't buy raw chicken but precooked ones. He set those aside as he washed the vegetables and other ingredients. "Do you want to help me cut some of these?" He asked with a smile.

Dean grinned. "Of course. That's what I'm here for." He joked, walking over to help him. While Cas was gone, the kitchen had felt horribly empty whenever Dean was there, but now everything felt just like it had.

Castiel smiled, "Thank you, I'll go get the eggs ready then." He said, going to the fridge and grabbing the carton and setting it on the table. He took out a bowl, mixing in; eggs, milk, some salt and pepper. He hummed softly, "Do you want cheese on these omelets?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah, definitely." Dean replied, watching Cas work as he finished cutting vegetables. "Mm, these are gonna be awesome." He said, stomach growling.

Castiel laughed, "I think anything sounds awesome to you at this point." he commented. He put the precooked chicken in the microwave really quick before he walked over to Dean, giving him a kiss on the cheek, "Thank you." he smiled softly before taken the cut up food and walking back over to the pan.

He took the chicken out and ripped it into small pieces. He had cut up potatoes from earlier and put them in a separate place before he poured some eggs on the lightly oiled pan and watch the bottom cook. He put all the ingredients on top of it and waited for them to cook a little before he took the spatula and flipped them over slightly and rolled it up. He turned it down a little and flipped it again to let it cook. He had set up another pan beside him and had the oil cooking and had put the potatoes in it.

"Dean, can you get plates?" he asked.

Dean smiled and watched Cas as he made everything, glancing up when he spoke. "Yeah, sure." He replied, reaching up into a cabinet and pulling some out. He grabbed forks and knives as well, laying them out on the counter as Cas finished up.

Castiel put the last omelet on another plate and picked up the other pan and separated the hash browns evenly into each plate. He set the dishes back in the sink and set them aside. He popped some toast in and soon they were completely finished. He smiled, "Okay, we're done. We can eat now." he said. He felt a bit nervous to have everyone eat together because they had a lecture this morning, but what could he do? Avoid them? They were doing the right thing, so he would be wrong to do that.

"Do you want to call Sam and Bobby down for me?" he asked.

Dean hesitated slightly before nodding. Even if things were a little rough, they had to get used to things again anyway. "Sam, Bobby!" He called. "Cas made breakfast." He said, glancing over at Cas. "It'll all be fine." He said to him before the others came in. "No one can resist your cooking." He said, trying to joke.

Castiel smiled a little at him, "I think that's it's just you who can't resist." he said.

Sam soon came down, glancing over at them. "You guys made breakfast? Wow, thanks." he said. "That's really nice of you guys." he smiled a little.

Castiel smiled slightly, "I'm doing what I can." he said.

"You didn't have to do that, but thank you." Bobby said as he walked in, glancing around at the food.

Dean glanced at Cas and smiled. "He wanted to. I just helped him a little." He said.

Castiel glanced at Dean. "You guys can start eating before it gets cold." he said, looking back at the two.

Sam nodded, "I know we were a little pissed at you earlier, but it's nice to see you back Cas. We were worried." he said. "Not just because you made us food, but because you're our friend too." he added.

Castiel nodded a little, "I understand. Thank you." he said.

Bobby nodded. "We were worried about you too. I'm glad you're okay, even if your family is a little crazy." He said as he started eating. "And it doesn't hurt that this a great omelet." He added.

Dean glanced at Cas and grinned as he ate. "See, everyone loves your food as much as me. Well, at least almost as much."

"You're just a food fanatic." Castiel chuckled. "Though it's nice to have someone as a fan of my food." he looked over at Dean, taking a small bite of the omelet. "We still have to do laundry later." he said, "Maybe clean your room." he added.

Sam arched a brow, chuckling a little. "Yeah, nice to have you back Cas." he said.

"Laundry and room cleaning. That's more cleaning than I think Dean's done... Ever, actually." Bobby said with a chuckle.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Hey, I've cleaned my room and I do my laundry all the time." Dean protested. Bobby have him a look.

"Okay well I have before, okay? At some point."

Castiel laughed lightly, "I didn't know you needed an incentive to clean." he looked over at Dean. They all kind of fell back into their normal conversations and their earlier tension died away. They laughed a little and joked. After they were done, everyone set their plates in the sink.

Castiel glanced over at Dean after he put the plate in the sink, "What do you want to do first then? We have to do laundry, clean your room, go back to my house, and pick up groceries again." he said.

Dean hummed in thought. "That's a lot of work we gotta do. I guess we can just do it that order- laundry, room, house, grocery store." He suggested. "But we really don't have to clean my room and stuff, that seems unfair for you."

"It's not unfair to me. I offered, you didn't ask me to." Castiel replied. "I think we should clean your room first and find all the clothing to put together and wash it all in one go, instead of finding clothes later and having to wash them." he said. "Then everything else sounds fine with me."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. But I'm just warning you, I don't know what we're gonna find up there." Dean joked, though he was mentally going through anything that might be embarrassing. He couldn't think of anything, but he was sure something bad was bound to turn. "Well, I guess we should start then." He said, starting to head upstairs.

Castiel followed after him, not really thinking much of what Dean would have in his room. He let Dean lead them up there and walk them into his room. It was mostly just picking up things and organizing. Thank god he didn't eat in his room and leave things there because that would be really gross.

Castiel hummed, "Well, gather the clothes that you think might be dirty and put them in a laundry basket and set them outside your door, we'll add as we go and grab a few trash bags just in case." he instructed.

Dean nodded, glad Cas had a plan because it seemed overwhelming to him. He had attempted to clean up occasionally, but he'd never really been motivated enough to make much progress. He went over and grabbed his basket, setting it outside the door like Cas said. "I'll get trashbags." He said, leaving for a few moments and returning with a couple.

Castiel glanced around the room, choosing what things should go where. He went to the pile of clothes that Dean had told to put all the dirty clothes on and gathered them. He walked into the hallway and placed them in there before Dean got back. It cleared some space in the room but there were still things to pick up.

"Okay thank you. Whatever you want to throw out, put it in the bag and we'll throw it out when we leave." he said, he took a trash bag from Dean and started picking up pieces of paper that he left around and scraps. "You can organize the Cd's and tidy up that area." he told him. He was picking up things and arched a brow when he found a box. He opened it up curiously to find porn magazines. He chuckled lightly, picking up the box. "Dean, where do you want these?" he asked in an amused way.

Dean did as Cas said, more than happy to let him take over how to clean his room. He was sitting by the CDs, throwing away random trash, when Cas spoke up. "What- oh, uh, yeah, I'll take care of that." He said hastily, standing up and quickly picking his way over. He couldn't believe he hadn't remembered that box, of all the things.

Castiel laughed lightly, "You don't need to be embarrassed. I understand, it's normal." he said, going back to cleaning. He had picked through more clothes, when he spotted something pink in Dean's closet. He reached in and grabbed it, wondering what it was. It stood out a lot compared to everything in his room so his curiosity sparked. He felt it between his fingers, soft. He pulled it into the clearing and stretched it out. He arched a brow and stood back up, turning toward Dean. "Dean...do these belong to you?" he asked as Dean dealt with the box.

Dean turned from moving the box, eyes widening as he saw what Cas was holding. 'Shit.'

Why the hell had he let Cas clean there, out of everywhere else in his room? The one place that seemed to have the one thing he'd most like to keep hidden under a pile of laundry. "I, uh..." Dean started, feeling a flush creep to his cheeks. "They're- I mean, sort of." He said, not having any idea how he was going to explain this.

Castiel tipped his head slightly, watching Dean's reactions. He didn't understand why Dean was reacting like that. If it was someone else's, why wouldn't he just say that? Of course that would make him a little upset that he kept it for whatever reason but he can't change the past, but he didn't, he blushed a little and that made Castiel a bit more curious. He looked at the ones he was holding in his hands and stretched them out, they were a soft pink color with a small bow on it and black laces on the side. They were a very feminine pair, he looked up from it to Dean, back to the underwear to Dean's waist.

"Are these possibly yours Dean?" he asked. "It's okay to tell me if they are...I'm not going to like you any less." he said reassuringly.

Dean thought it over quickly, trying to decide whether he should just tell the truth or not. He could probably get away with saying he'd just kept them from someone else or something, but that would probably be upsetting for Cas. Plus, as much as he definitely didn't want Cas to know, he also couldn't stand the thought of lying to him. He cleared his throat, trying to be nonchalant but failing miserably.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, they are." He admitted, waiting to see Cas's reaction. He had no idea what he would think about this, and it made him slightly nervous.

Castiel nodded slightly, looking at them again. "What's the reason behind you owning them?" he asked. He looked at Dean curiously, he wasn't exactly bothered that they were his. He didn't really hate anything that Dean had or did, he felt happy that he learned something about Dean, even if he was embarrassed to tell him or a bit different.

Dean took a breath, glancing down at them and back at Cas. He clearly wasn't judging him, he just seemed curious, but Dean was still hesitant to explain it. "I uh, wear them. Sometimes. Not often." He replied, rubbing at the back of his neck.

Castiel tipped his head to the side a little, glancing at the panties. "Is it because they're soft?" He asked. He wondered that because that was the first thing he noticed when he touched them. He glanced over at Dean.

Dean nodded slightly. "Yeah. And they're just... I don't know, they feel good." He said, not sure how else to explain it. Cas really didn't seem to mind, which was good, but he was still a little afraid that he would think it was weird. It was weird, Dean knew, but he liked it and now Cas knew, and there wasn't anything he could do about it now.

Castiel nodded a little, "Can I...can I see you in them?" He asked. He wondered what Dean would look like in them. He saw that Dean was slightly nervous, "It's okay if you don't...I'm just curious. I don't mind it though. If you like it, it's fine with me." He smiled slightly at Dean.

Dean blinked, surprised at how okay Cas was about it. "You want to see me in them?" He repeated. "Yeah, sure, I wouldn't mind that." He replied, knowing that he would definitely never be this okay with anyone other than Cas.

Castiel smiled, handing the pair to Dean. "I'll step out if you want me to." He offered. He didn't know how comfortable Dean would be with him but he was happy that he had agreed, one to satisfy his curiosity and the fact that he trusted him enough for that.

Dean thought for a moment before shrugging. "Okay, sure." He replied, taking the panties in his hand. He still wasn't completely sure what to think of this, but Cas wanted to see him and he didn't see why not.

Castiel nodded, looking at Dean one more before he walked to the door and stepped out. "Just tell me when you're done." He said before he gently closed the door behind him. He leaned onto it. He felt excited to see what Dean would look like, it was different but he always took different as a good thing.

Dean held up the panties and let out a breath, setting them on the bed while he undressed. He slipped them on, the softness familiar against his skin. "Okay Cas." He called after taking a moment to prepare himself. He stood by the bed, somewhere between nervous and excited.

Castiel let out a soft breath, turning and open the door just slightly to let himself in as he closed the door quietly and locked it. He didn't want someone accidentally coming in and making this awkward between them. He slowly stepped into the room and saw Dean. His eyes widened slightly, immediately roaming over him. It was weird to say that they looked really good on Dean. The pink complimented his skin and it looked really good. Castiel kept his eyes on him, continuing to walk over by him. He stood right in front of Dean before he lightly touched the edges of it, feeling the soft fabric. "You...you look so good in this..." He looked up at Dean, still touching the edges.

Dean watched Cas come in, waiting to see his reaction as he turned around and walked over. He shivered slightly as Cas's fingers lightly traced the edges, and Dean watched his face the entire time- he definitely didn't look like he minded. He arched a brow slightly when Cas spoke, a hint of a grin tugging the corners of his lips. "Really? Thanks, I guess. They feel pretty good too." He admitted, glancing down at Cas's hands as they skimmed across the fabric.

Castiel smiled slightly, before he lightly touched the front. He could see the outline of Dean's cock and he lightly ran his fingers on it, he was completely absorbed in feeling the edges. They were so soft and it was really nice.

Dean's breath hitched slightly at Cas's fingers brushing against him, the feeling of his hands through the soft fabric sending a spike of arousal through him. "So I take it you like them." He said gruffly, smirking slightly.

"I really like them." Castiel replied, looking up at Dean. "They just look so good on you. I shouldn't really be surprised, seeing at how well you can pull off female clothing in general but this...this is. It suits you." He said. "It might sound odd but I think they compliment you." He smiled a little, keeping his hands on Dean's hips.

Dean grinned. "I never thought that being able to pull off chick clothes would be a compliment, but I like it coming from you." He replied, running his hands up Cas's arms to rest along his shoulders.

Castiel smiled, "I mean everything sincerely." He chuckled before leaning up and kiss him. He pulled him closer, touching the hem of the panties.

"I know you do." Dean murmured and returned the kiss eagerly, his hand wrapping around the back of Cas's neck. He shifted his hips slightly, rubbing them against his fingers lightly.

Castiel hand slid down and around Dean. He touched the lower edges, slipping his fingers right inside the hem. He just rested them there, kissing Dean back. He could feel Dean's arousal stirring a little. He pressed against him, urged on.

Dean pressed against him, deepening the kiss and tracing his tongue along Cas's. He moved his arm around Cas's waist and pulled himself closer, feeling his hands tantalizingly inside the hem of the panties. He let out a soft moan against his mouth, wanting more.

Castiel pressed against him before pushing him onto the bed. He could see the strain more definite now with Dean aroused. He kneeled in between Dean's legs, holding his hips. He pulled him to the edge again like he did before. He looked up at him before he mouthed against the fabric, feeling it twitch lightly underneath his lips. He pulled down the hem just slightly so the head would peek out as he licked it softly, lapping the precum.

Dean clutched at the sheets beneath him with one hand and the other gripped Cas's shoulder. "Oh, God, Cas." He groaned softly, pressing his head down against the bed as Cas licked him and rocking his hips up slightly.

Castiel smiled a little, pulling them down more to help relieve the strain. He licked the underside, just licking around the edges and around. He slicked it up and lightly stroked it a few times before he kissed the tip, rubbing his tongue over the slit. He wrapped his mouth around the head and gently sucked before taking more of Dean in his mouth. He slowly bobbed his head, enjoying Dean's small reactions.

Dean bit his lip, stifling a moan. His hand twisted in the sheets as he rocked his hips slightly against Cas's motions, trying to get more friction. "Shit, Cas," he muttered, trying to keep as quiet as possible as he moved around him. His hand rose to tangle in his hair, pulling at it lightly.

Castiel groaned around him, sending soft vibrations down. He swallowed, taking more of him. Every time he would pull up, he would pull almost completely off but kept his lips on the head. He would tease his tongue around the slit before he would take Dean back down in a single motion, each time getting lower. His hand rested on Dean's hip while the other found way in between his legs to lightly touch his balls. He massaged them a little, rolling them in his fingertips through the fabric.

Dean bit his lip harshly, his knees squeezing Cas's shoulders slightly as his hand wound in his hair. He gasped out Cas's name as he felt the tension building in his stomach with every pull and touch that Cas made.

Castiel eventually got to the base, nestled there. He rested there, swallowing continuously. He hummed softly, bobbing just a little. He glanced up at Dean before closing his eyes again and pulling off. He licked the head, placing a kiss onto it. It was really tender before Castiel took Dean back in one go and sucked, hard.

Dean gasped slightly as Cas pulled off of him, knowing he was going to lose it quickly. "Fuck, Cas, I'm-" He managed, squeezing his eyes shut as Cas swallowed him again, pushing him over the edge. He moaned out Cas's name as he came, pleasure washing over him hotly.

Castiel swallowed continuously, feeling it slide down his throat. He actually started to like the taste and feel of Dean cumming in his mouth. He just settled there, not moving til he was sure Dean was completely done. He made sure to swallow everything before slowly pulling off and lapped the top softly, putting the pink panties back over him. He looked back up at Dean and licked the side of his lip.

Dean took a deep breath, slowly coming down from the intense high and steadying at a warm happiness. "Damn, Cas, that was... That was definitely worth cleaning my room." He said with a slight chuckle, thinking that was definitely an understatement. He propped himself up slightly to look down at Cas and ran a hand through his hair, face still flushed and mind still somewhat scattered.

Castiel smiled up at Dean, he slowly climbed up onto the bed and laid down next to him. "I'm glad. Thank you for showing me." He said. "You can obviously telll I don't have dislike toward them or think any less of you." He chuckled, wrapping himself around Dean.

Dean grinned and nodded, wrapping his arm around Cas. "Yeah, I kind of figured you didn't mind them." He chuckled, pulling him in close and ducking down slightly to kiss him lightly.

Castiel smiled, kissing Dean back softly. "We should finish cleaning soon." He said softly. "We still have things to do." He said, not moving yet.

"I was doing a good job cleaning before you distracted me." Dean replied with a grin. "But yeah, I guess we do have other stuff to do. That was a good break though." He added, also not moving yet.

"We'll finish. It'll be okay." Castiel smiled. "It was a good distraction. He said. He kissed Dean again, just to take him in. He felt comfortable, but they would need to get up soon.

Dean nodded, laying there for a moment in comfort before letting out a sigh. "Alright, if I don't get up now, I'm gonna fall asleep." He said, sitting up and turning to kiss Cas one last time before sliding out of bed. He grabbed his shirt and slid it on before pulling his jeans up over the panties with a smirk and wink at Cas.

Castiel sat up, kissing Dean back quickly as he got out of bed. He chuckled as Dean pulled his pants over the panties. "I think we should add to that pair." He looked up at Dean with an amused smile. He slid out of bed, gently touching Dean's pants. "You're such a tease." He lightly smacked his leg before going back to cleaning.

Dean arched a brow slightly at Cas's suggestion, grinning at the thought. He chuckled after Cas smacked him, turning to keep cleaning. "What can I say, I can't resist with you." He replied with a grin, glancing back at him briefly.

"Keep it up Winchester and I'll tie you to this bed and leave you here all day." Castiel didn't even have to look back to know that Dean was looking at him. He just picked through more clothes and put them in a small pile to put into the laundry basket.

"Mm, I only liked the first part of that. I'm not too eager to get left here all day." Dean replied, smiling as he sorted through various things. Cleaning wasn't so bad when he was bantering with Cas.

"Not even if I was here to play with you?" Castiel said casually.

He had picked up most of the clothes and reorganized Dean's closet. He fixed the hangers and put the clothes back on it correctly. He had a small pile of clothes that he had to take out. He glanced around the room, thinking maybe they should vacuum and possibly wash the sheets and blankets as well.

Dean glanced back at him again with a grin, wondering where Cas's new attitude was coming from. "All day? Then maybe I should keep teasing you." He replied. He was just about finished, just putting the last of the CDs up.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, before he stooped down and picked up the clothes. "Don't tempt me Winchester. I might not play nice." he said before walking toward the door and unlocking it. He stepped into the hallway and placed the clothes into the basket. He walked back into the room, seeing the open areas now. He figured there would be nothing wrong with washing the bedding as well so he started to strip the bed down.

"Maybe I don't want you to play nice." Dean replied nonchalantly, tying up a bag of random trash and putting it beside the basket. He saw Cas starting to take off his sheets, surprised out how thorough he was being, before going around to the other side to help him.

Castiel glanced up at Dean, "If you don't want me to, I won't." he said before lifting off the sheets. He took the pillow cases off as well. He handed them to Dean. "Go put those in the basket Winchester." he said, smirking a little.

Dean rolled his eyes as he took them, smiling slightly. "Oh really? So I get to choose if you play nice or not?" He asked as he walked then over to the basket, pushing down the other laundry before loading the bedding in as well.

"At first you can but from then it depends on how you act." Castiel chuckled. There was what looked like a piece of paper that caught his eye. It was safely tucked away in the side of the bed. He reached out and pulled it out. He was staring back at a picture of a woman with green and blue eyes and long, blond, wavy hair. He held it in his hands, he immediately knew that she was Dean's mother. They had resemblance. He smiled softly.

Dean turned back around, another witty remark on the tip of his tongue, when he saw Cas holding the picture. His first instinct was to snatch it back, but this was Cas- he trusted him with it. "It's my mom." Dean said, in case he hadn't figured it out. He walked over and stood behind Cas, looking at it over his shoulder.

Castiel could hear Dean come back in and then him standing behind him. "She's beautiful. You have her eyes." he said, glancing back at Dean. "I'm sorry I was being nosy. I saw a piece of what looked like paper peeking out of the side so I had picked it out." he apologized. "She's very pretty."

Dean glanced up from the photo to Cas. "No, it's okay, I don't mind." He said honestly, looking back down at it. He didn't have many photos of his mom- this and one that Sam had were it. "And thanks, she was." He added thoughtfully.

Castiel turned slightly and gave Dean a kiss on the cheek. "You should put this picture in a frame. You can put it by your bedside." He offered. "It'll preserve the picture, but not by the window. The sun would color bleach it." he said.

Dean smiled slightly and nodded. "That'd be a good idea. I'll have to find a frame for it." He said. The picture had definitely been under his mattress for too long- it was a wonder it wasn't more creased than it already was.

"We'll can go get one when we go to the store later." Castiel replied. He looked up at Dean, smiling a little. "We're almost done cleaning. If you can find me a vacuum then we're done." he said. "Then we can go wash the sheets and clothes while we go back to my house." he added.

"That'd be great, thanks. Alright, vacuum. Okay." Dean replied, thinking for a second. "Ah, I remember." He said suddenly, glancing at the photo one more time before disappearing out the door. He came back a few minutes later with the vacuum, setting it down and plugging it in.

Castiel waited for Dean to come back, "Thank you." He said. He took the handle of it, "See if you can find a frame for her picture." he handed the picture to him carefully. "Then if you can, please take out the trash. By then I'll be done then we can go." he said.

Dean nodded, taking the photo carefully. "Okay, I'll be back soon." He said, disappearing out the door. He managed to find a spare frame downstairs with the stock picture and put the photo in it. He returned upstairs and sidled around Cas, setting it on his nightstand. He grabbed the trash on his way back out again, dropping it off at the trash cans outside before returning back upstairs to his room again.

Castiel vacuumed around the room, picking whatever left up. He glanced at Dean when he came back then at the picture and smiled. He finished by the time Dean came back and wrapped the cord back up. He sighed in satisfaction, the room was clean. He looked at Dean who came in, "See we're done. It wasn't too bad." he smiled.

Dean looked around and grinned, putting his hands on his hips. "Wow, I don't remember the last time it looked this good and clean in here. I can see the whole floor." He joked. "And you're right, that wasn't bad at all."

Castiel step closer to Dean and wrapped his arms around him. "Thank you for helping and not actually complaining." he chuckled, leaning up to kiss Dean. "It was...fun. Cleaning your room." he smiled.

"I should be thanking you for helping. It's not even your room but you did a lot of the work." Dean replied, winding his arms around Cas. "And you're right, it was pretty fun at times." He said, breaking into a grin.

"I think you enjoy teasing me." Castiel looked up at him. "To pick play fights with me." He arched a brow with an amused smile. "I really would have tied you up if you tempted me enough, but only when we don't have other things to do."

"Me, picking fights?" Dean asked with feigned innocence. "I wouldn't do that. But maybe we should go ahead and do those other things so I can tempt you some more, then." He continued with a smirk.

Castiel rolled his eyes, fingers slipping right past Dean's pant's hem and onto his panties' hem. He snapped the band and slowly slid his hands away from Dean. He started walking toward the door, "If you're going to pick fights with me Winchester, don't expect that I won't bite back." he said before opening the door and picking up the basket.

Dean's eyes widened slightly as Cas snapped the hem of the panties, brows arching as he turned and practically sauntered towards the door. "I'll be sure to remember that, Milton." He replied, following him out the door with a grin.

Castiel laughed lightly, carrying the basket down the stairs. "How do you do your laundry here?" he asked. He wasn't sure how Dean did his laundry, he knew that everyone in his house did theirs different. Separated colors, bleached, soft to delicate, softener, etc. "Do you have a washer and dryer here?" he asked, glancing over at Dean.

"Yeah, washer and dryer are this way." Dean replied, scooting around Cas to lead the way. "And I dunno, dump the dirty clothes in the wash and then move them to the dryer? And soap and stuff of course." He replied, never caring too much about separating much.

Castiel hummed softly, "Okay, well I'll do laundry the way I learned." he said, following Dean. Dean opened the washing machine for him. Castiel looked over the buttons and clicked them around a little before he put all the clothes in and shut it. The water ran through it, but he didn't put soap in yet.

Dean just watched Cas handle the laundry, figuring he knew what he was doing better than Dean did anyway, and not minding at all letting him take over.

Castiel watched the water drain and started a new cycle, he poured out some soap and poured it over the clothes and then shut it. He smiled, not doing the bedding yet. They would need a separate cycle. He hummed, looking over at Dean. "We could wait for laundry or we can try going to my house for my belongings." he offered.

"Yeah, let's go by your house while we wait. Knock out two things at once." Dean replied, figuring it would be better than sitting around and waiting for his laundry.

Castiel nodded, "Okay, we should be back before it finishes. I would have to put softener in it." he said. He started the way to the parked impala with Dean. He was a little worried that someone was going to be home, but then again. No one comes home.

Dean grabbed the keys and walked to the impala, sliding in and turning the ignition. He glanced over at Cas as he put it in drive, wondering if he was nervous about going home. "So there's probably no one home, right? I guess, even if there is, I'll be here to help you out. Just in case."

Castiel smiled a little at Dean, "I'm a little nervous but I'm not actually sure if there will be or not. I'm thinking there's not but...I could be wrong." He replied.

"Well, I'll be right there with you. Even if someone is there, I'm sure as hell not letting them bother you." Dean assured him, glancing over at Cas as he drove. "So you've got nothing to worry about." He added. He hoped no one would be there, but if there were he'd do whatever Cas needed him to.

They drove for a little and they were soon pulling up to his house. The lights were all off like it has been for the two weeks that Castiel was gone. His car was parked in the back, which caught his attention. "Can you go by my car please?" he asked.

They drove closer to his car and he climbed out the car to go to it. There was a suitcase loaded in the back and the car keys hanging on the handle. There was a little note on the inside. He opened the car and took out the note, he quickly read it over before smiling a little. He opened the back seat and took out the suitcase. Dean had come up behind him and he looked over at him. "Gabriel and Anna put some clothes in here for me so I wouldn't have to go back in, just in case." he explained.

Dean smiled, glancing down at the suitcase. "That was nice of them. So you don't need to go inside?" He asked, also wondering if Cas was going to bring his car back the house as well.

"No I don't need to go back in, but I should probably leave the car here for safety measures. I don't want them to call in my plates." Castiel looked at Dean. "Is that fine with you?" He asked.

"Yeah, that's cool with me." Dean replied, taking the suitcase from Cas and hefting it over his shoulder. "Well that was surprisingly painless." He said with a grin, heading back towards the impala and putting the suitcase in the back seat.

Castiel nodded slowly, "Yes it was. Let's not stay. I'm more worried now than I was a few minutes ago." He said. "Thank you for carrying that, you didn't have to."

"No problem." Dean replied, waving off the thanks and frowning slightly at Cas's concern. "Yeah, let's get out of here, then. It's kinda creepy anyway." He said, glancing at the empty house warily.

Castiel nodded, looking at the house before slowly turning back to look at the car. He caught glimpse of something in the garden. He turned to look at it, he froze.."...Lucifer..." He breathed out.

The person in the garden turned to look, he smiled slightly and waved. Castiel heard Dean say something and he turned toward him then looked back and there was no one there. He stared at the place for a few moments.

Dean glanced up at Cas when he didn't respond, frowning as he saw him looking into the garden. "Do you see something?" He asked, walking back over towards him and looking around. He didn't see anything, but Cas looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Castiel glanced at Dean then back at the garden. "...No. I think I'm just overthinking." He said. "Let's go. I don't think I want to stay any longer." He looked up at Dean.

Dean glanced at Cas before following his gaze out to the garden again. "Yeah, okay, let's get out if here then." He replied uneasily. He wasn't sure what Cas thought he saw, but he suddenly felt nervous here. He headed back to the impala, not getting in until Cas did as well.

Castiel opened the door and glanced back at the garden again before he slid in. He didn't really say much after. Right before they left, he saw Lucifer walking from the garden in the side view mirror and he looked back but he wasn't there. Castiel turned back in his seat, before rubbing his temples. He slowly breathed, thinking he must be over thinking.

Dean glanced over at Cas, brow furrowing in concern as he turned back to the road. "Are you okay?" He asked, wanting to know what Cas thought he saw but not wanting to push him. "You can talk to me if you want to." He offered.

Castiel slowly opened his eyes, dropping his hands down. He slowly exhaled, "I...I think I saw my brother... Lucifer. In the garden then when we were leaving but he wasn't there every time I looked back. I'm just overthinking." He sighed.

Dean frowned. "Lucifer, huh? Well, I hope you were just over thinking, but if you're not, d'you think he'll come after you?" He asked, wondering if he was seeing things or not. Dean hadn't seen him, but it didn't seem like Cas to imagine things like that. Then again, he was pretty stressed- maybe he was just mistaken.

"He won't. Lucifer doesn't care so much about me. I'm just one of the siblings. He mostly just cares and hates Michael. That's about it." Castiel glanced at Dean. "It's nothing to worry about, I was just surprised to see him after so long. If I saw him." He added.

Dean nodded, glad he wouldn't be an issue if he actually was there. "That's good. So either way, it's no problem." He said, trying to stay positive. No one was coming after Cas- everything was fine.

Castiel nodded, relaxing a little. "Do you want to go to the store now or later? We would could add softener to your clothes if you want but it's not needed, then we can start the second cycle." He said.

"Mm, let's go ahead and go to the store while we're out. I don't really care too much about softener. I don't even know if we have any." Dean added with a chuckle.

Castiel nodded, "Okay. I think Anna put my card in here. I can buy the food this time." He said. He looked over at Dean, "You did last time so I get to this time." He told him.

"You don't have to do that, Cas. It's for four people, and you're the one who's going to make it." Dean protested, though he already knew that Cas would still insist.

"And? You're going to be helping me and I offered to. You didn't ask me to or anything. I'm okay with paying, Dean. It's no problem." Castiel looked at Dean.

Dean let out a breath. "Yeah, okay. I know you don't mind, it's just weird letting you pay for our food. I dunno, I guess that's just how I was raised. But anyway, thanks. I do appreciate it." He replied.

"It's very courteous of you, but I have offered Dean. It's no problem to me. If you can help me cook and help me carry some of the bags, we can call it even." Castiel smiled. They had pulled up to the store and were just waiting. "I think I know what most thanksgiving dinners have but what do you think that you guys will like for it?" He asked, reaching for the handle.

Dean thought for a moment as he got out, locking the door after Cas had gotten out as well. "I dunno, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing. We don't really do normal thanksgivings- back before we started staying with Bobby my dad would bring home a bucket of chicken and pass out on the couch." Dean told him with a laugh. "So I don't really know, just whatever you want to make is awesome."

Castiel pressed his lips together before he smiled, taking Dean's hand. "Okay, then we'll make this and every thanksgiving after, special. We'll have our own traditions then." He said determinedly. If he didn't have one and Dean didn't have one either when he was young, then it'll be a good experience for them both. He walked him into the store humming. "I like Mac and cheese, do you think you and everyone else would like that? Turkey, of course. Mash potatoes, possible gravy, stuffing, I think green beans, corn or some type of mixture of vegetables. Then pie." He listed. He seemed a bit more excited now, "I think red potatoes would be better, healthier." He said. "That all sound okay?" He smiled, looking back at Dean.

Dean grinned, swinging their hands slightly. "Our own set of traditions. I like that. It all sounds awesome, and Sam and Bobby will definitely think so too." He replied, starting to get excited as well. "This is gonna be the best thanksgiving ever."

Castiel grinned at him, "I hope so, this is the first time I get to celebrate thanksgiving and I get to spend it with you." He said. "I think even if I mess up and it becomes a disaster, I think I'll still find it special." He added. He knew that it was cliche to have a ruined thanksgiving, he read them in books and it would usually happen and they would try to get it back together.

Dean grinned. "Even if the turkey is burnt, we drop all the food, and everything possible goes wrong, it'll still be great." He laughed. "It'll definitely be memorable. Maybe we should make extra pie in case something goes does go wrong." He added jokingly, grinning over at him.

Castiel laughed lightly, "We'll definitely save the pie. It would only be a disaster then." He said. He squeezed Dean's hand, taking a cart instead of a basket. He kept his pinky hooked with Dean's as he pushed the cart. He led Dean around, picking things up as he went. He chose apples first, before going to potatoes, vegetables, corn, and the turkey. He hummed as he went, putting things in the cart that he knew Dean didn't have at his house. He filled the bottom of the cart, looking pleased. "Anything else we should buy? We should buy food to make for lunch and dinner." He said. He glanced at Dean, "I think we should make a taco pizza. I saw that in a recipe book and I kind of want to make that. We can make a different one for dinner if we want, but if not we can just make something simple." He said. "Do you think that's okay?"

Dean went along with Cas happily, content to just watch him choose all of the ingredients that he would need. "Taco pizza?" He repeated, eyes widening slightly. "That sounds awesome. Sounds like a cool thing to try." He replied with a grin.

Castiel smiled, "Taco pizza it is then." He chuckled. He listed things in his head before, walking Dean around again. He settled things in the cart. They were waiting in line before Castiel perked, "Oh, I forgot." He looked back at Dean. "Do you think you could go back and grab vanilla ice cream and whip cream. I always wanted to try pie with ice cream." He said.

Dean grinned and nodded. Nothing went better with pie than ice cream and whipped cream. "Sure, sounds good to me." He replied, walk back through the aisles to find the whipped cream and going through the freezer to get the ice cream. He sidled up towards the front where Cas was, setting them on the counter.

While Dean was away, the cashier started scanning through the food. He looked up at Castiel and smiled. "Hello. Find everything okay?" he asked.

Castiel nodded, "Yes I did, thank you." he said.

"Planning to cook all this food?" he asked, looking down at the scanning then back up.

Castiel nodded, "I am." he said.

"Must be trying to impress your girlfriend." he chuckled.

"Oh I don't have a girlfriend." Castiel replied, glancing over at the line to see if Dean was back yet.

"Oh so you're just cooking this for your family?" The cashier arched a brow.

"No, I'm not cooking for my family either." Castiel told him.

"So you're going to be spending it alone but you're cooking all this food? You know maybe you can come spend thanksgiving with me and a few other people, we're not really having the family thing." the cashier offered, smiling at Castiel.

Castiel shook his head, "No thank you, that's kind, but I have plans." he said.

"Oh? With?" The cashier asked.

Dean snaked up to the front of the line, setting the whipped cream and a tub of ice cream on the counter by the cashier and turning to grin at Cas. "I got a big thing of ice cream- just in case." He said before pausing, just realizing they must have been talking. He glanced over at the cashier for the first time before looking back at Cas questioningly. "Did I interrupt something?" He asked, trying to figure why Cas looked uncomfortable and why the cashier was looking at him like that.

Castiel relaxed a bit while the cashier's face changed. Castiel looked at Dean, "You didn't." he said. He looked back at the cashier, "Him. I'm spending it with him." he looked back over at Dean with a small smile.

The cashier's smile dropped a bit. "Oh." he said. He continued scanning the rest of the things before telling them the total. Castiel passed him a card and the cashier swiped it. The cashier ripped out the receipt and handed it to Castiel.

"Have a nice day." he said with a small smile.

Castiel returned the polite smile, "Thank you, have a good thanksgiving." he said. The cashier lightly shook his head, turning back to the next customer with a small thanks.

Castiel took some of the bags and glanced back at Dean, "Coming?" he asked.

Dean watched the interaction, slightly confused, before giving the cashier a slight smile and grabbing the rest of the bags. "So what was that about? He almost seemed disappointed." He asked curiously as he caught up with Cas and started walking back towards the impala. He thought about the cashier's change in expression and frowned slightly. "Was he flirting with you or something?"

Castiel glanced back at Dean, "I don't believe so...? He had asked if I was going to be cooking all this food and I had said yes. Then he said I must have been trying to impress my girlfriend and I told him I didn't have one. So he thought that I was cooking for my family and I told him yet again that he was wrong and I wasn't. He came to the conclusion to where I was going to spend thanksgiving alone and offered me to spend thanksgiving with me and his friends, which I declined since I was going to be spending it with you." he explained, stopping at the impala.

"Huh. Well that was nice of him, I guess." Dean replied, thinking that he definitely wouldn't invite a stranger over for Thanksgiving with friends unless he had some other motive. He unlocked the trunk and started loading in the groceries, taking the bags from Cas and putting them in as well. "Too bad for him you're already our chef." He said with a slight smile, going around to the driver's side and unlocking the doors.

Castiel followed, going to his side and opening the door and getting in. He looked over at Dean, "Well are you going to be able to pay me for being your chef." he teased. "My expertise comes at a price but I'll willing to bargain with you." he added with an amused smile.

Dean glanced over at him with an arched brow as he started the car. "I have to pay for your skills, huh? You're lucky you're worth it." He teased as he drove out of the parking lot, heading back towards the house. "So what's your price? Let's see if we can come up with a good bargain." he said with a grin.

Castiel chuckled before he hummed, thinking. "I think I want a lot of things from you. You can choose whichever you want to give to me. I want you to sing to me. Since you bought ice cream, I kind of want you to feed me it while I sit on your lap. You could pay me in kisses. I would enjoy that." He glanced over at Dean, smiling a little. "Cuddling when you pet my hair. I would say something sexual but I don't really know much. Maybe a few other things when I think of them." He added, laughing a little and looking at Dean.

Dean hummed in thought. "You drive a hard bargain, Milton, but I think we can make some of that happen." He said, glancing at Cas with a smirk. "Maybe even all of it, if your cooking is that good." He teased.

Castiel glanced over at Dean. smiling a little. "Of it'll be good Winchester, then you'll /have/ to listen to me." he replied. "Hmm so are you going to pay me today or tomorrow?" he laughed slightly.

"Well, you're so pricey, I could probably do some today some tomorrow." Dean replied. "I guess you can choose- as long as your food lives up to the hype." He added with a grin.

"If I don't live up to it, then you can ask something of me then. Okay?" Castiel asked, looking over at Dean with a smile. He wasn't sure which one he want to do with Dean but he''s figure it out soon.

"Deal." Dean replied with a grin as they pulled up to the house. If that was the price for Cas's cooking, he'd gladly pay. Even if it wasn't for his cooking, Dean would still be happy to do any of the things he'd said. He parked the impala and went to the trunk, grabbing almost all of the bags since Cas had to get his suitcase.

Castiel smiled softly before climbing out of the car and grabbing the suitcase. He took the remaining bags from the trunk and looked at Dean as they followed each other inside. They sent the food down in the kitchen as Castiel set his suitcase down.

"I"m going to go check on your clothes, if you can, please put away the food. Thank you." Castiel smiled at him before wandering to the laundry room and checking. It was done washing so he had to change it from washing to drying and put the bedding into the washing machine. He changed the settings again and let it rinse before he put soap in. He put a few dryer sheets into the dryer and set the time and started it. He turned on his heel and walked back to the kitchen.

Dean smiled started putting away the groceries, managing to find places in the fridge and pantry for everything they'd gotten, other than the things they'd need for lunch. He wondered idly what Cas would want to do after lunch, since they'd gotten everything done that they needed to. He glanced up as Cas walked in, smiling slightly.

Castiel smiled at Dean, "Do you think we should cook lunch now or wait a little while?" he asked. "I would offer to let you go back upstairs but I took all your bedding so it would just be you lying on the mattress." he chuckled. "If we cook lunch now then the bedding should be done half way through to be put in the dryer and your clothes will be finished. Then after we're done eating and everything they everything should be done." he explained.

"How about we go ahead and have lunch then? So everything will be done by the time we eat and we can do whatever we want afterwards." Dean suggested. "Plus I really want to try a taco pizza." He added with a grin.

"Okay, well it's like cooking a taco salad but not. You need two bowls, one for the sauce and one for the other ingredients." Castiel explained. He took out two bowls and set the ingredients accordingly. He slid a bowl in front of Dean, "Please mix the tomato paste in this, add 3/4 cups of water, the taco seasoning, then if you want to add spice chilli powder and cayenne pepper." he said. Castiel took the other bowl and started mixing up separate ingredients. He set up a pan on the side for the ground beef. "I bought pre-made dough to make it easier." he said, putting it aside.

Dean nodded, getting out the things Cas told him. He put in the tomato paste and mixed in the water, adding the seasoning and spices like he'd said. He added a little extra to give it a little kick, scooping out a small amount to try. "Spicy enough?" He asked, holding out the spoon for Cas to try.

Castiel leaned over a little and taste the sauce, "Mmm, it's good." he smiled. "It's perfect." he said.

He had prepared the other dough and put it on a pan. He went to the pan that was on the stove and put the ground beef in, he added a little seasoning to it and water until it turned brown then he turned off the stove and put it into a bowl after he drained it a little. He took a spoon and spatula out. He took the sauce from Dean with a quick peck on the cheek.

"Can you go get cheese please?" he asked as he spread it out at the bottom then the beans and other mixture he made. He put the beef on top and layered it. He took the cheese from Dean after and sprinkled it on top then slid it into the oven. "10-15 minutes while the crust goldens then we're done." He smiled. "You put lettuce on top with jalapenos and anything you really want." he said.

"Awesome, that sounds great." Dean replied, starting to get hungry. "D'you want to deal with the laundry after we eat or while it's in the oven?" He asked.

Castiel hummed softly, "Okay, I should add softener to the bedding anyways. I found some sitting in the back. It's still full." he said. He wandered back, hearing the water cycle changing. He poured out some softener and added it to the small drain for it. He closed it back up and opened the dyer and took out Dean's clothes and put them in the basket. "Are we going to fold them or are we hanging them up later?" he asked, looking up at Dean.

"Oh yeah? That's good." Dean replied, looking at his clothes. "I guess we can fold what we can before lunch is ready and do the rest later." He suggested.

Castiel was about to agree but the oven dinged, "We can just bring it all upstairs and do it all together then." he said, putting the basket aside. "Do you want to call Sam and Bobby for me then?" he smiled at Dean before sliding past him and going back to the kitchen.

He put on an oven mitt and set it out on a towel since they didn't have a cooling rack. He hummed softly seeing it turned out really well. He started adding things on top, a bit more seasoning, chopped up tomatoes, lettuce, diced jalapenos, and more cheese. He smiled happily, cutting them into pieces for them. He grabbed plates and set them off the side.

"Sam, Bobby, lunch!" Dean called before following Cas back to the kitchen. "Wow, that looks awesome." He said, looking down at the pizza hungrily. Bobby came down after a moment.

"Taco pizza." Dean told him with a grin.

"Looks good." Bobby replied with a chuckle.

Castiel smiled at him, rolling his eyes endearingly. "Food fanatic." he mumbled.

Sam slowly came down after, looking over at them. "Forgot what it was like to have good food here." he commented, walking into the kitchen.

Castiel gestured to the plates, "Help yourselves. I hope you guys won't get sick of it because we might eat it again at dinner." he said.

Sam had took a slice and bit into it, "Dude. I could eat this for a week and not care. This is really good. What is it?" he asked.

"Taco pizza." Castiel replied.

Sam took another bite, "Bless the guy who thought of this." he gulped. Castiel laughed lightly, taking a piece after everyone else and eating little bites of it.

Dean grinned at Sam's reaction, taking a slice and biting in to it. "Mm, Sam's right- I don't think we're gonna get tired of it." He said, taking another big bite.

Bobby nodded in agreement. "This is delicious. Thanks for making it- it's nice having gourmet meals just waiting downstairs." He said with a smile.

Castiel smiled bashfully, "You're welcome." he looked down in embarrassment, slowly eating the piece he was eating.

Sam arched a brow, "I seriously don't understand how you could be humble about this. I would be bragging about this, just showing off." he laughed.

Castiel shook his head, "It's not right to flaunt. There is always going to be someone better and worse than you, so you try to help those to get better while you also strive to do the same, setting your goal after another and try to be where they are. Then when you achieve that, you aim higher but don't put down those of lesser skill than your own." he said.

Bobby arched his brows, impressed at his mature Cas was about it. "That's a really good outlook to have." He said.

Dean smiled slightly, looking over at Cas. "See what I mean, he's too nice for his own good. He's like a saint or an angel or something." He said.

Castiel looked down at his plate, playing with his fingers as his blushed deepened a little. "That's an overstatement..." he said softly.

Sam laughed, "Weird. How did you ever end up with Dean." he said in a jokingly mocking tone at Dean.

Castiel glanced up, "Because he's a good person, better in many life aspects than I would be. I may have some set skills of things but he has life skills which will help him much more through life. Like you may know how to grow plants but someone who knows how to care for it will have a longer lasting plant than someone who just knows the basis of growing one." he explained. He glanced at Dean, "I want to be more like Dean is all." he said. Sam arched a brow and looked over at Dean to see his reaction.

Dean blinked, opening his mouth to say something before closing it again. He'd asked himself the same thing plenty of times, and despite Cas already telling him that before he was still just as surprised to hear how highly Cas thought of him. He glanced at Bobby and Sam quickly, both were watching him, and he was torn between telling Cas and not wanting to talk about this at all in front of Sam and Bobby.

"I think Sam was just kidding, Cas. But that really means a lot coming from you, so thanks." He compromised, saying more than he normally would in front of them but less than he would if he and Cas were alone.

Castiel smiled at him, going back to eat like nothing had happened. Sam watched Dean curiously before he started eating again. He finished eating not long after. They finished the whole pizza and Sam put away his plate. "Thanks Cas, Dean. That was really good." he said.

"You're welcome." Castiel smiled as he slowly got up and put away his plate before walking to the laundry room. He had stopped halfway through eating to put it in the dryer and it should have been done by now. He pulled them out and set them on top of the basket.

Sam glanced at Dean, He patted Dean on the back before going upstairs. "Glad you're happier now." he said.

"Thanks." Dean said to Sam as Bobby out his plate away too, raising his brows at Dean and giving him a smile. Dean put away his own plate before following Cas to the laundry room, leaning against the door frame.

"So you want to be more like me, huh?" He said with a smile, wondering just how much Cas meant. "Well, for the record, I like you how you are now."

Castiel glanced over at Dean, "You do, do you? he replied, "So you don't think I should thrive after you." he smiled up at him. He lifted up the basket, walking over to Dean. He picked up the sheets, "Look, this is why you use softener." he held it out for Dean.

Dean took the sheets and raised his brows, feeling it between his fingers. "Whoa, I didn't even know these could get so soft." He said in mildly confused wonder. "See, this is why you're perfect as is- I never would've bothered with softener, but I think I should have." He said with a laugh.

"I learned a certain way to do laundry as I grew up. Most people tend not to use it because it cost more and most of the time they use it incorrectly, so it's understandable." Castiel looked up at Dean with curiosity. "I'm not perfect Dean, I just have a different lifestyle than you have." he said softly. He slowly moved past Dean, "We're folding these in your room." he said as he started up the steps.

Dean followed Cas up the stairs. "I know you're not perfect perfect, but you do come pretty close, for a lot of reasons. Not just because you made my sheets feel so good." He added with a grin as they got to his bedroom door.

"Is this because I appease to your food fanatic side?" Castiel laughed lightly, opening the door and walking in. He set the basket down and turned to look at Dean. "I believe you think I'm perfect because it is said that once a person is deeply attracted to someone, even their flaws seem minuscule and makes them more beautiful in someone's eye. I find that very endearing that you might think so, but I can tell you for one Dean. I am not perfect." he said.

He took the pillow cases from the basket and pulled them over the pillows. He handed the cover pillows to Dean, "Please hold these for a second." he asked before he pulled out the sheets and flapped it out on the bed. He took back the pillows and set them in the middle of the untucked sheets. "Can you help me with these sheets please?" he asked.

Dean nodded, going to tuck in one of the corners and pulling the sheet taut as he moved to the next corner. "Still, no ones completely perfect. I'm just saying I think you're great the way you are." He said with a shrug as he continued with the sheets. "And the awesome cooking is one of the many perks." He added with a grin, glancing up at Cas.

"Thank you." Castiel smiled at Dean. "I'm not changing completely Dean. I just want to grow on few aspects of myself...You make me want to be a better person. I know you say I'm great as I am, but I want to be better than that. I want to be someone that can be able to stay by your side and make you better." he said. "You might see me as a great person and I, in my perspective, think you are perfect." he explained. "Namavisanol vis rohad nanara vinolil sol dazi nanaza sov dazi nasinalisa sov dazi jezoni."

Deans features softened, walking over to Cas after finishing the sheets. He still couldn't understand why he would want to be like Dean in any way, or how Cas could possibly think he was perfect, but he was glad that he did. "What does that mean?" He asked with a slight smile, knowing it was probably something sweet and comforting like everything else Cas said in enochian.

Castiel smiled a little, reaching out and taking Dean's hand. He looked up at Dean, rubbing his thumb over his knuckles. "Perfection is just flaws hidden by the light of greatness of the whole." He translated. He lifted Dean's hand, flipping it over to place a kiss on his palm. "I think you're perfect Dean. Though I know you probably wonder why I think that." He said softly, keeping Dean's gaze and hand close.

Dean smiled softly, curling his fingers around Cas's. "I've never really been the kind of person people want to be like, and no one has ever even considered me being perfect." He replied with a slight smile. "But your opinion is the only one I really care about. And Sam and Bobby, but they're family so they're stuck with me no matter what." He joked lightly.

Castiel changed their grip slightly so he could lace his fingers between Dean's. "I also really care about your opinion. " He said. He leaned up and kissed Dean softly. "Do you want to fold these clothes now or later?" He asked.

Dean smiled slightly, glancing down at the clothes. "Well, if you ask me, I'm always going to say later." He said with a chuckle. "But if you want to get it out if the way, I'm good with that too."

"If we finish them now then we can cuddle for the rest of the day." Castiel smiled, "Better now than later." He said. He picked up the basket and dumped out the clothes onto the bed. He sat down on the side, taking Dean's hand. He sat him beside him. "We'll finish soon."

Dean nodded, picking up a shirt and starting to fold. "Yeah, we'll probably get done in no time. Thanks again, by the way. You helped clean my room, made me food, did my laundry- I almost feel kinda guilty for you doing all that." He said.

"But you shouldn't." Castiel hummed, picking up another shirt. He glanced over at Dean, "Would it make you feel better that I asked you to do some of the things I listed earlier in place of this?" He asked.

"Don't worry, all this is working out too well for me to feel bad." Dean replied with a grin. "But okay, I'll do all the stuff you said and whatever else you can think of. To a certain degree." He added with a smile.

Castiel smiled, "Sounds fine with me." He said. He folded a few more shirts before he spoke up again, "I found out what BDSM was while I was away. I had asked Gabriel about it...He gave me books and pictures..." He explained. "I uh...learned how to knot a few ties and some background information on it...it's a bit extreme but there were a few things that I would try if you...if you would want to try." He felt his face flush and tint his ears.

Dean glanced over at him and grinned slightly at his flush. "Oh? Like what sort of stuff?" He asked, raising a brow curiously.

Castiel looked down at his lap, twisting the hem of the shirt he was holding. "Ah..." He opened his mouth then closed it, blushing a bit deeper. "I... I read about...about orgasm denial and supposedly...toys? They said they are supposed to be with a trusted partner. That someone could enjoy "taking apart" someone. It...it said it was more intense." He bundled the shirt up, "Do...do you think you want to try it?" He asked softly.

Dean paused in folding, looking over at Cas with brows raised. "Cas, I'd be willing to try any and all of that with you. More than willing." He replied honestly, smiling slightly. It was endearing to see Cas flustered just talking about it, and Dean lifted a hand to brush his thumb across the blush on his cheek.

Castiel glanced over at him, still blushing. He twisted the shirt a little, "You will?" He asked. He leaned a little against the touch, "It's okay to not." He said.

"I do want to try it, really. It sounds pretty awesome. And if it doesn't work out, we don't have to do it again." Dean replied with a shrug. "So I'm up to try it out if you want to." He said.

"What do you mean not work out?" Castiel asked him, he folded up the shirt he was playing with, getting more wrinkles in it from earlier. He picked up a pair of pants and folded them, they were almost done before he brought up the topic. "How...how do you think we would try this?" he asked, glancing at Dean before down at what he was folding.

"Well, if for some reason one of us doesn't like it or something." Dean explained, grabbing another shirt to fold. "And I don't really know how we'd try it. However we want, I guess."

Castiel nodded a little before taking the last shirt and folding it. He put it up on the pile of shirts he was folding. "Where do you want to put these shirts and pants Dean?" he asked. He glanced at Dean, "...How you do you want to try it? Would you think it would be better for you to do it to me or vice-versa?"

"Oh, in the drawers would be good." Dean replied, opening a couple and starting to put things in. He glanced over at Cas. "I don't know. I'd enjoy it either way- what do you think?" He asked.

Castiel walked over to the drawer and started putting clothes away, "I think it would be fine either way as well but...I wouldn't mind letting you try on me. Though I'm not actually sure where you would buy "Toys"." he said. "I would like to try, but I don't believe we have anything." he added.

Dean nodded, thinking about it. "Well, I guess we could probably order stuff online. There might be a store somewhere that sells that stuff, but I don't really know." He replied. "And okay, I'm good with doing it to you." He added with a grin.

Castiel blushed a little, "Okay..." he agreed simply before he walked over to Dean and gave him a hug. He tucked his face in his shoulder and neck, letting out a slow exhale. They were finished with everything so they had free time until dinner. "What do you want to do now?" he asked. He was wondering about the things he said earlier but he didn't mind so much if they didn't do it now, anything they did was fine with him really.

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas, kissing the top of his head. "Well, we could cuddle and I could pet your hair. That was one of the things, right?" He asked. "I'd offer to break out the ice cream, but your food is too good to fill up in ice cream." He said with a grin.

Castiel hummed softly, "I don't mind what we do, but I'm slightly worried that I will fall asleep if you pet my hair while we cuddle." he said. "We can eat the ice cream another time, I don't mind." he mumbled into Dean's shoulder. "I also offered to be paid in kisses." he glanced up at Dean. He chuckled softly, "I don't think I brought my suitcase up here yet." he said.

"Oh yeah. I'll go get it for you- you brought up my laundry." Dean replied before Cas could protest. He kissed his head again. "A down payment." He grinned before releasing his hold on Cas and stepping out through the door. He came back a few moments later, setting his suitcase on the bed.

Castiel smiled at Dean's kiss before he came back. "Thank you." he said as he walked over to the suitcase. He was still wearing Dean's clothes, but he didn't mind. He was checking through his suitcase to see what they had put into it. Sleep clothes, normal clothes, socks, underwear, toothbrush, and toothpaste. It was pretty much a normal suitcase but something caught Castiel's eye at the bottom of his suitcase. It was a box that was wrapped up. Castiel arched a brow lifting it up and seeing a book and card next to it. The box was for Dean apparently from Gabriel. Castiel looked confused, "I think Gabriel wanted to give you something." he said, handing the box to Dean. He picked up the card and the covered book. Castiel tipped his head to the side, looking over the card first. It was to Dean, "Do you want me to read it?" he asked.

Dean arched a brow, looking at the box. "Yeah, go ahead and read it. I'm not sure how I should feel about this." He said, smiling slightly as started to open it up. Knowing Gabriel, it could be almost anything.

Castiel looked at the card, "Sup Dean-o...?" he started, arching a brow. "We're sorry that you had to be put through the family bullshit. I know I said something before but I never really thought that they would just up and leave with him. I know you guys probably worked through it and whatnot but don't hold this over him. He was a complete mess without you and seeing him like that was worse than seeing him back when he was being bullied. I know you probably went through hell too but just don't hold this against him. Anyways, over this emotional things. I felt bad so I made you a gift. There's a few baby pictures-" Castiel stopped reading and looked over at Dean and immediately reached for the box that Gabriel gave him. He didn't read the rest of the card which was still the other half.

Dean grinned, dodging Cas and pulling the box open. "Baby pictures huh?" He asked, glancing inside and leaning away from him, holding the box out of reach. "Hey, finish reading the card! You got embarrassing stories from Sam and Bobby, this is only fair."

Castiel huffed, pouting a bit before picking up the card again. He grumbled a little before reading again, "Probably should keep them away from Cassie." he read next before sighing and continuing. "There's also some coupons to places that I think you guys will like, food wise. Some are farther but it's worth the drive and the sweets are pretty good. Well you would think that would be it, but that's just simple things. I know about Cassie's research so I'm leaning you guys in the right direction. I bought some things for you guys, you're welcome. Have fun Dean-o." he finished with xox's. Castiel looked back over at Dean, "What at the bottom of the box?" he asked. Castiel watched Dean go through the box but also kept it out of reach from Castiel, there was a tube of lube in there and condoms but also colorful toys at the bottom. Gabriel had to choose the most obnoxious colors.

Dean laughed, keeping the pictures away from Cas but taking out the condoms, lube, and toys. "Of course, what else would Gabriel send. Sex toys and baby pictures." He said, grinning. "Well, that's pretty awesome for us."

Castiel blushed deeply again, "Deean...Give me the pictures." he tried to take them away from Dean again, ignoring what Dean was holding. He was trying to get the box. He tried to get to them but Dean kept putting it out of reach, he pouted. "Deeean..." he dragged out. "I didn't get to see yours!" he whined.

"Oh no, I'm not giving these up." Dean replied with a grin, setting everything else on the bed but keeping the pictures. "Thank you Gabriel, wherever you are." He laughed as he held them up out of Cas's reach, starting to go through them.

Castiel huffed, jumping and reaching at them but Dean made sure he didn't get to them. They was just a small pile. There was professional pictures in there as well as silly ones. One with Gabriel poking Castiel's cheek while Cas was chewing on a block. Another with Anna putting a bow in his hair, one with him crying and off the side of the picture was blured Gabriel eating a cookie. There was one of him being held by someone Dean hasn't seen yet, he was being held by Michael and Castiel stared at him curiously. Then another with another person Dean didn't know cradling Castiel on the couch as Gabriel tried climbing onto the couch. The professional ones were him mostly half naked. They were cliche ones, where he was sitting on what looks like a cloud and he had little wings attached to him. Them throwing flowers and him looking up and trying to catch one. Castiel blushed, not sure what Dean was thinking of his pictures. He just pouted and waited for Dean to finish.

Dean smiled as he looked through, lowering his hands slightly when he was sure Cas wasn't going to grab them. "You were adorable as a baby." He said, glancing up at Cas with a grin before looking back at the pictures. "These aren't even embarrassing." He said, looking back up at Cas. "Oh, c'mon, don't look so upset. These are cute."

Castiel huffed, "Are you done?" he asked. He pressed his lips together, "You're not going to...keep these...are you?" he looked up at Dean with a slightly pinched look.

Dean glanced at the pictures and back at Cas. "Well, I'd love to keep a couple, but if you /really/ don't want me to, I guess I won't." He replied. "But I really do think you're cute. As a baby and now." He added with a grin.

Castiel didn't want to take something away from Dean just because he was embarrassed of it, they were his as a gift. He sighed softly, "Promise not to share these?" he asked, looking up at him. "I don't enjoy how I look as an infant." he said.

Dean walked over and smiled. "Of course not. I won't show another soul." He promised, leaning over to kiss Cas lightly. "Thank you." He added with a grin, glad Cas wasn't mad he was keeping them.

Castiel let out a soft sigh, not able to stay mad at Dean. He looked up at Dean, "Do I get a picture of you then?" He asked.

"I don't actually know if we really have many of me as a baby. We can ask at dinner if you really want." Dean replied, knowing it was only fair but still hoping Bobby and Sam wouldn't know where any were.

Castiel nodded a little, "Okay." he replied. He glanced over at the bed then back at Dean, "What are we going to do about those?" he asked. There were not exactly discreet with their colors. He vaguely knew what they were. There was a pink egg vibrator, a small green plug, small purple beads, and red cock ring. He blushed at them, not really sure what to think of them.

Dean followed Cas's gaze back over to the bed, chuckling slightly. "It would've been nice if he'd chosen a little less obvious colors, but I guess that's not really his style." He said. "I guess we should keep them in the box or something until we want to try them out." He replied, glancing back at Cas with a grin. "It's kinda weird, but also pretty damn convenient."

Castiel nodded a little, he was curious on how they felt. He went onto the bed, reaching out hesitantly before touching something. He touched the green plug first. It was smooth. "I...I vaguely know what each does but I'm not all that sure." He said. He felt the beads, they looked pretty normal except they didn't meet at the ends. He glanced at Dean before he touch the egg shape. It had a small controller with it, each of them did. He blushed, "I read that some couples let the other wear these during their daily activities during the day...or they have the other hold the controller while they were away. It was very..." he didn't have a word for it, he just blushed deeper, running his fingers over it.

Dean walked up beside him, glancing at the vibrator and it's controller. "Hot?" He offered as a way to finish Cas's sentence, grinning slightly. He looked up and saw him blushing a bright shade. "And you know, we don't have to use any stuff you don't want to." He assured Cas, not wanting him to be nervous about it.

Castiel looked up at him, "No it's not that I don't want to...because I do...I'm just embarrassed." He explained. "It's a bit of embarrassment and excitement, I suppose you can say..." he added. "I definitely want to try them though...some point or another."

Dean set down the beads and turned to Cas, setting his hand on the crook of his neck and idly stroking his jaw. "Well, you don't have to be embarrassed. It's just you and me, and I'm never gonna think any less of you." He said. "And I'm pretty excited too, honestly. I think we're going to have some fun with all of this." He added with a grin.

Castiel relaxed, leaning slightly against Dean's hand. "I know you won't." he said. He glanced at the toys, "Do...Do you think we should try one of them?" he asked shyly, glancing at up at him.

"Right now?" Dean asked, perking slightly. "Yeah, okay, I'm up for that." He said to him with a grin, glad they had time before dinner. "Which do you want to try?" He asked, glancing back over at them excitedly.

Castiel looked them over, not really all too sure what to choose. He figured to start on the one he thought would be the easiest. He picked up the egg vibrator. "Can...can we try this one?" He asked, feeling the blush crawling up his skin.

Dean nodded and grinned at Cas's blush. "Sounds like a good one to start with. I haven't used anything like this before but I know how it works." He said, taking the controller. It vibrated for a second in Cas's hand and Dean smiled.

Castiel watched Dean take the small controller from him. He jumped slightly when he felt it vibrate in his hand. His breath hitched when he felt Dean stop it. He felt a stir of arousal go through him. He let out a small breath, wrapping and unwrapping his hands around it. He swallowed, looking up at Dean before he slowly moved closer to him. He moved Dean's hands aside so he could climb into Dean's lap. He put his arms around him and looked at him for a moment. "I'm always in your lap..." He said softly before leaning in and kissing him. "Not that I mind..." He murmured into his lips as he played with the small hairs on the back of Dean's neck.

Dean smiled against his lips. "I don't mind either." He replied softly, putting his arm around Cas's waist and pulling him against him suddenly. He deepened the kiss, pressing up to him and tugging at his lower lip.

Castiel gasped in his mouth, holding onto Dean more tightly. He moaned softly in his mouth, feeling excitement bubble with a bit of anticipation. He tangled his hand in Dean's hair, kissing him back with some roughness. He scooted closer and adjusted his legs apart on either side of Dean.

Dean moaned softly into his mouth, his hand moving inside the hem of Cas's shirt. He ran his nails across the small of his back and his thumb slipped in to the waist of his pants. He moved to kiss the edge of Cas's jaw, biting the soft skin lightly.

Castiel arched at the touch, pressing completely against Dean. He let out a soft sound, before brushing by Dean's ear and licking it and nipping. He kissed the spot below his ear, nuzzling a little. "Dean...what if I can be quiet?" He asked quietly.

Dean frowned slightly, wishing they didn't have to worry about it. He loved hearing just how much Cas was enjoying it and the marks he left in his skin, but he doubted he'd be able to keep quiet for this and he really didn't want Sam or Bobby to hear. "Want to do what we did last time?" He offered, nodding his head slightly to his pillow.

Castiel glanced over at the pillow, "We just washed those." He laughed lightly. "I think we should invest in a gag if we plan to do this often." He offered. "I don't think you would want to wash your pillows and sheets that many times." He said. He looked back at Dean, "I'm okay with you gagging me. Anything's fine with me." He brushed his face near Dean's placing a kiss on his neck.

"Or we can get ear plugs for Sam and Bobby." Dean replied, chuckling slightly. "It's a shame because I like hearing you," he said, leaning forward slightly to kiss just below his Cas's ear. "All the little noises you make..." He trailed off to suck the skin lightly, tracing the mark with his tongue. "But I guess we'll have I save that for when we're really alone." He said, pulling away slightly to look at him. "I'm not really sure what to use that'll still be comfortable for you."

Castiel shivered in Dean's lap, gasping a little at his bite and words. He looked back at Dean, swallowing. "I don't mind what you use. We can use a shirt, a towel, anything..." he let out a breath, feeling the arousal stirring and it was making it a bit harder to think correctly.

Dean shifted slightly, his eagerness growing at the sound of Cas's gasp. "A shirt works." He replied quickly, not wanting to stop to find a towel. "Let's just use yours." He added with a grin, leaning back slightly to help pull Cas's shirt off.

Castiel lifted his arms, letting Dean take off his shirt. His skin was still littered with bites but he didn't mind being marked all over by Dean, he would want more. Dean twisted the shirt and tied it off, he looked back at him and nodded an okay that it didn't hurt and was snug. He swallowed, brushing his head by Dean's and settling back in his neck and moving against him. He felt spikes of arousal shooting through him and he wanted more, feeling the excitement growing.

Dean made sure to tie it securely, nodding slightly at Cas's silent confirmation. He kissed his shoulder, biting at him lightly before swiping his tongue across the bite. He rocked his hips against Cas, eager to get going. His nails scratched lightly right down the center of his spine, wrapping around and pull the button on his pants. He paused long enough to peel away his own shirt before returning to kiss and bite along Cas's collarbone.

Castiel arched at each of the touches, breathing faster. He bit at the shirt, moaning lightly. He held onto Dean, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and holding him after he took off his shirt. He rolled his hips down into him, lightly tugging at the hairs at the nape of his neck.

Dean moaned softly into his skin as Cas rolled down against him. His kisses rose to his neck and just below his jaw, sucking the skin just lightly enough to not leave a mark. One hand roamed across his chest, working small circles around his nipple while the other tugged at the hem of his pants with growing impatience.

Castiel had squeezed his eyes shut, gasping and moaning through the gag. Arousal and pleasure shooting through him. He lifted his hips, helping Dean to remove his pants. He swallowed thickly, moving his hips around to help him. It took a few moments but he soon settled back in Dean's lap, looking back at him with a dark, wanting look. He brushed his face by Dean's, hugging him again. He never felt such a stir of desire.

Dean felt a sharp pang of arousal at the lustful look in Cas's eyes, making his breath hitch slightly and eyes dilate with want. He quickly unfastened his own pants and maneuvered himself to slide them off, one hand pulling Cas closer while the other grabbed the vibrator and lube hastily.

A muffled version of Dean's name was moaned through the shirt. He rocked their hips together, feeling them slide and grind against another. The build of arousal was making it hard for him to think but it also made him aware of everything and sensitive. He felt like he was going to finish right when they started. He lifted his head before moving slightly to the side and picking up the red ring, swallowing as he held it up for Dean. He felt a full body shiver go through him. He wanted Dean so much that it almost hurt. He rocked his hips again, moaning. He felt his face light up with a blush, the gag was damp with spit. His looked at Dean with a lidded look, his dark messy hair, and a blush splashed across his cheeks. It made him look innocent but wanton with a gag around his lips that were red from the kissing and the hickies scattered across his neck and chest.

Dean's breathing quickened, the sight of Cas already so wound up sending spikes of desire through him. He took the ring from Cas, glancing up at him and feeling it between his fingers before he quickly rubbed some lube around it. He strokes Cas lightly before sliding the ring on carefully, tangling his free hand in Cas's hair.

Castiel squeezed his eyes shut, moaning loudly through the gag. He could feel the pressure of wanting to cum but he knew he wouldn't be able to. He was panting, his chest rising and falling quickly. He grabbed at Dean, holding onto him. He swallowed continuously, wanting to have Dean open him already.

Dean watched him, his moan sending a spike through him despite being muffled by the shirt. He quickly squeezed more lube onto his fingers, wrapping his free arm around Cas to hold him as he circled his entrance and pressed a finger inside. He moved it slowly at first before going more quickly, willing Cas to open further and slipping another finger inside.

Castiel bit the gag, gasping. He bowed his head forward, using Dean's shoulders as leverage to push himself up and down. He leaned onto Dean, holding him tightly as he shifted his hips down. He was moaning over Dean, feeling light shivers go through him. The gag was getting more wet as he moaned.

Dean shifted slightly, biting his lip to suppress a moan as Cas moved against his fingers. His erection ached but he fought to ignore it, knowing it wouldn't take much with Cas like this to send him over the edge. His moved his fingers inside of him, stretching and adding a third while he grabbed the egg. "Ready for it?" He asked, breathing heavily.

Castiel nodded quickly, opening his eyes slightly to look at him. His mind could make small thoughts but they would pass by so quickly. He just wanted Dean. He rolled his hips a little, gasping.

Dean slipped his fingers out slowly, replacing them with the vibrator. He tightened his arm around Cas as he settled the egg in him, grabbing the remote and turning it on. He could slightly feel the vibration through Cas on his thighs, adding to his already peaked arousal.

Castiel completely shook, moaning loudly and continually. He eyes were squeezed shut leaning into Dean and dropping his back, sticking his ass up higher not really able to keep himself up. He whimpered sounds of Dean's name. Pleasure was just spilt over and over, he could felt the orgasm just teetering, building and building and never falling. It was really overwhelming. He swallowed, feeling his eyes water from the sensitivity and overwhelming feel. He just clutched onto Dean, the only thing ground him as every thought was completely wiped and he couldn't think anything.

Dean moved his hand from around Cas's back as he clutched at him, knowing he would hardly even notice the move. He brought his hand around and began stroking Cas slowly and lightly at first, building up the pressure and speed steadily. He moved the egg slightly in time with his hand, feeling it all through Cas.

Castiel wet the gag through on the sides, leaking them over his chin. He was moaning so loudly that it almost was clear on what he was moaning. He toes curled as his fingers dug slightly into Dean's skin. His eyes were completely out of focus, while his eyes watered more. He wanted to cum so badly, he wanted to finish but he also felt the want to keep going. He just relied on Dean completely, he couldn't keep his hold on him. He slid lower and loosened his grip, he just couldn't think of what to do. Castiel felt the tears drip, everything felt so good and it was making it impossible for him to concentrate. It was sensitive and overwhelming, feeling the pleasure wash over him continuously.

Dean held on to Cas as his grip loosened, his hand rising to the side of his face and stroked his tear-stained cheek lightly with his thumb. His other hand continued to move against him, knowing that when Cas came it would completely undo him. He just looked so good to him, his eyes were dazed but his face was flushed with pleasure. Dean brushed back Cas's hair a little before moving his hand back into Cas and take hold of the egg. He moved his around a little before he felt Cas jolt in his arms and shivered. Dean held the egg still and Castiel whined, whimpering.

Castiel cried, gripping Dean's shoulder. It was too much, he panted heavily and nearly screamed. Dean brushed his face against, kissing him softly. He slid his hands out of Cas and fingered the ring, "Cum for me, Cas." He murmured gruffly, his breath skirting across his cheek as he slid off the ring.

Castiel's orgasm hit him right at it came off, he let out a broken sob and a moan short of a yell. He couldn't holding up anymore, he just fell completely into Dean. The pleasure that was released was so much more intense and powerful that he passed out for a few moments. He came all over their stomachs as his eyes watered more of the intense feeling. Castiel was completely boneless in Dean's arms, dazed.

Dean held Cas up, waiting for a moment before moving his arm around to turn off the vibrator. He kissed the top of his head softly and lightly stroked his back, just holding him as he slowly calmed down.

Castiel just laid there, making small sounds at the over sensitivity. He panted, still not able to think. His mind was just gone, it was blank. He didn't even have the strength to hold onto Dean. He didn't even know what was happening. He was completely out of it. He knew that Dean was holding him from the warmth but not much else.

Dean smiled slightly and gripped Cas against his chest, reaching up and untying the gag carefully. He continued to stroke his back, grounding him and letting him slowly come down from the high as he held him.

Castiel let out a small breath, moving his jaw slightly. He swallowed a little, not really wanting to talk yet. He wiped his face lazily with the back of his arm before he slowly looked up at Dean and gave him a kiss, it was mostly sloppy but it was all he could manage at that point. He was still unaware of the erection that Dean still had, not able to think of two things at once.

Dean kissed Cas back, keeping one arm around him to keep supporting him. He moved his other arm around to stroke himself lightly, letting out a soft breath as he eased the ache slightly. He knew Cas was completely wrecked, and it was clear his brain was still scattered.

Castiel's mind slowly caught up, but it was still broken thoughts, not really clear. He slowly pulled away from Dean's kiss, dropping his head onto his shoulder to nip and bite. They were made slowly and softly. He slowly blinked, looking between them. He stopped for a second before he understood. He wrapped one of his hand around Dean's and moved along with him. He wanted to relieve Dean of his strain. He wanted to taste him but he didn't want to move at all, but he would if Dean wanted him to.

Dean rocked his hips slightly, letting Cas take over more as his mind cleared. He kept his hand with Cas's, knowing he still wasn't totally with it, but definitely needing release and wanting more. He was still holding Cas with his other arm, his fingernails slightly digging in to the skin of his back.

Castiel sighed softly, before batting away Dean's hand. He didn't really feel like moving. He slid lower onto Dean, kissing his hard erection. He glanced up at Dean with a dazed look, he tapped his mouth, opening it. He swallowed a little, he slid his mouth onto his erection, jaw already slack. He put his hands onto Dean's hips and lifted him up slightly to indicate what he was trying to say. He wanted Dean to use his mouth but he didn't have the feeling right now to do it properly. He just settled his hands off the side, letting Dean move.

Dean watched him and nodded slightly in understanding. He moved his hand around the back of Cas's head, holding his hair as he started to move inside his mouth. He let out a breathy moan from having more relief, starting to thrust into him. His other hand moved to rest against Cas's shoulder, holding him steady.

Castiel closed his eyes, humming slightly as Dean thrusted into his mouth. He kept his mouth slack, letting Dean move easily. He swallowed continuously, feeling completely relaxed and good.

Dean quickened his pace, tightening his grip on Cas's shoulder as the tension in him mounted. His breathing quickened and he shut his eyes, biting at his lip to muffle a moan. His breath hitched slightly as Cas hummed around him, pulling slightly at his hair as he came and gasped out a version of Castiel's name through gritted teeth.

Castiel swallowed lazily, feeling it slide down his throat. He gently sucked on Dean, made sure he was done. He was not as neat as he normally was, having some of it spill out of his mouth. He swallowed still, keeping still until Dean thought he was done.

Dean breathed for a moment, loosening his grip on Cas's shoulder and hair before pulling out of his mouth. He pulled Cas up again, wrapping his arm around him. "We're a mess." He murmured with a lazy smile, wiping Cas's mouth with his thumb.

Castiel swallowed, looking at him. "S'okay...I don wanna move." He mumbled, slurring some words. "That felt good..." He added. He looked drained and sated as he sluggishly put his arms around Dean. "S'egg still inside of me..." He mumbled, nuzzling against Dean. "But s'okay..." He breathed out.

Dean chuckled at how absolutely drained Cas was. "So you liked it, huh?" He asked with a grin, holding Cas against him. He moved his hand around Cas's leg, slowly pulling at the egg. "We can stay like this for a while." He murmured, resting his chin on his shoulder.

Castiel made a small sound at Dean, resting his head on Dean's neck and shoulder. "Liked it a lot..." He mumbled. He could feel Dean shift the egg a little, he shivered slightly in his lap. He licked small licks on Dean's neck, biting lightly. He was definitely okay with anything right now and with Dean holding him made him all the more willing. He felt completely safe and relaxed. He was happy, though his mind was basically still scattered.

Dean lolled his head to the side slightly, giving Cas easier access to his neck. He hummed contentedly, more than happy to just stay how they were for a while. He fingers ran up and down the base of Cas's spine, stroking his skin. "That's good, I liked it too." He replied, smiling at the thought of how Cas looked during.

Castiel sucked little marks on Dean's collarbone along with bites. He licked them over once he did them, feeling drowsy. He breathed softly in Dean's lap, putting his head down. He felt him running his fingers in his back, he made a small sound in content. "You did?" He mumbled. "I didn' even help you finish..." He added. "Til after."

Dean smiled slightly, enjoying the warmth from Cas. "No, but watching you was nice. You should've seen your face." He said with a grin. "And even with the gag I could tell you were enjoying it." He added, glancing down at the wet shirt in the floor with a chuckle.

Castiel nodded a little, "M' happy you're okay with it...Didn' want you to be bored." He replied. He was getting even more tired, "M' tired. But we should clean." He said. "Sorry bout the mess."

Dean chuckled. "I definitely wasn't bored. How about we get cleaned up and just relax until dinner, okay?" He offered, not as exhausted as Cas but still welcome to the idea of doing nothing for a while. "And I don't mind the mess at all."

Castiel nodded, he slowly moved from Dean's lap. "How are we goin' to clean?" He asked, but really thinking of the cleaning beforehand. He looked up at Dean for an answer. "I don' think I'll be able to stand and shower, I might fall asleep..." He said.

Dean hummed in thought. "We could take a bath." He suggested, not having any idea when the last time he'd thought of taking a bath. "You'd probably be more likely to fall asleep, but at least you wouldn't fall." He said with a chuckle.

Castiel nodded, "Okay..." He replied. He looked at Dean softly, leaning over and giving him a soft kiss. "My legs feel like jello..." He chuckled. "Want to help me?" He asked nicely.

Dean chuckled, shifting Cas slightly in his lap. "Of course. You're lucky I can pick you up." He added with a laugh, standing and hefting Cas up with him so he could keep his arms around Dean's neck to help hold himself on. He walked into the bathroom and over to the tub, turning on the water with one hand and keeping the other around Cas. He rested Cas against the edge of the tub as he let the water warm up a little and plugged the drain to let it fill up.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean, holding onto him tightly and put his legs around him loosely. He giggled softly in Dean's neck, "I like you picking me up." He smiled, kissing his neck. He smiled at Dean sleepily as he filled the tub. "I really like you." He giggled. He was really tired so he was really relaxed too.

Dean glanced up at him and chuckled. "And I really like you too. Especially when you're this tired." He added with a grin as he tested the temperature of the water. "Okay Sleepy, I think it's okay to get in now." He said, picking Cas back up and stepping into the tub before carefully sitting in the warm water.

Castiel hummed softly, cuddling close to Dean. The warm water felt really nice on his skin. It was soothing. He scooted closer and leaned his head onto him. His eyes drooped a little, sighing softly.

Dean raised his hand up to Cas's hair, stroking it through and getting it wet. He stroked his hair idly, knowing Cas was probably going to fall asleep any moment now. He scooped up water with the other hand, letting it pour slowly over the parts of Cas above the water.

Castiel's head nodded a little, closing his eyes after laying his head on him. He was half asleep, drifting back and in consciousness. He breathed evenly, having his hands resting on Dean.

Dean squeezed some shampoo on his hand and ran it through Cas's hair gently, massaging it into his scalp gently. He ran the suds down his neck and shoulders, letting his hand roam lightly over Cas.

Castiel made a content sound, smiling a little. "That feels nice..." He mumbled. It was very quiet in the bathroom, just the light splashing of water. Castiel held onto Dean, snuggling closely. "Smells like you." He giggled, sighing softly.

Dean chuckled at Cas's giggle. "You're adorable. So you like smelling me, huh?" He asked, booping him on the nose and leaving some bubbles on his face. He laughed, leaning over to kiss his forehead.

Castiel crossed his eyes, looking at his nose. He scrunched it slightly, wiping it with his finger and swiping it on Dean. He smiled softly at Dean's kiss. He picked up some suds and put some on Dean's cheek. "I like smellin' like you too." He confirmed.

Dean laughed, scrunching his nose slightly. "I like you smelling like you, but I like doing the things that make you smell like me." He scooped up some more bubbles, spreading them across his chin. "What d'you think, should I grow a beard?" He asked with a grin.

Castiel wiped Dean's face with his hand, "No." He laughed childishly. "Beards are scratchy. They feel weird." He said, "I like your skin with slight stubble but not a beard." He said firmly as he rubbed his cheek against Dean's. He giggled, "It's softer." He commented. "You like makin' me smell like you? So bathin' me and intercourse or lendin' me your clothes?" He looked up at Dean, smiling. He looked tired but he was energized.

"Okay, okay, I won't grow a beard." Dean replied, laughing. "And yeah, I like the showers and the sex, and you look good in my clothes. And not in my clothes." He added with a grin.

Castiel scrunched his eyebrows slightly as he concentrated on his fingers moving on Dean's face. He poked Dean in the nose before me relaxed and smiled, looking up at Dean. "I like you taking off my clothes." He said, before looking back at his fingers and poking Dean in his cheek.

Dean laughed, watching him and arching a brow. "Cas, you're at that point where you're so tired it's like you're high." He informed him with a grin as Cas poked his cheek. "Not that I mind. You're pretty funny." He said with a smile.

Castiel stopped his fingers, looking back up at Dean and tilting his head to the side. "What?" he asked. He stared for a moment before he smiled, "You're silly." he giggled. "I'm not telling any jokes." he said.

Dean grinned, leaning forward to kiss him on the nose. "You're right, you're just being cute, not funny. Tell me a joke then." He encouraged with a smile.

Castiel shook his head, getting water droplets on them. "No, I'm not funny." He said. "I don't know any funny jokes." he added. He looked back at Dean and tilted his head again, "You think I'm cute?" he asked, looking at him curiously.

Dean grinned as Cas shook water at him, blinking to keep it out of his eyes. "Of course I think you're cute. How could I not?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Mmm, I don't know." Castiel shrugged a little. He splashed the water lightly with his hands, making small ripples. He looked back up at Dean, "I think you're cute." he smiled. He moved his hand around in the water until he found Dean's hand and pulled it up slightly over the water. He laced their fingers together, before laying back onto Dean. "M' tired." he yawned, making a small sound after.

Dean smiled softly at Cas calling him cute. He squeezed his hand lightly and chuckled when Cas announced he was tired. "Yeah, I kind of figured. D'you want to take a nap before dinner? We could dry off and lay on my bed." He offered, though he wasn't sure if Cas would be willing to move. He wasn't even sure if he would be willing to move either.

Castiel rubbed his eye a little, "Okay..." he replied sleepily. "I want to take a nap." he said, yawning again. He didn't really want to move, he was comfortable but he kind of knew that they couldn't just lay in the tub. "Should I sit up?" he asked, knowing he had to move but not yet doing that.

Dean sighed softly, not wanting to move but wanting to be in bed. "Yeah, I guess so. D'you want me to carry you again?" He asked with a smile, leaning forward slightly so that he could reach the bath plug and start draining the water.

"No s'okay. I already had you carry me here..." Castiel mumbled. "I don't want to trouble you or you slipping and falling." he added. "I think I can get to the bed..." he said softly. He wasn't actually all that sure at that point but he didn't want Dean to work that hard if he was tired too.

Dean glanced down at him skeptically, wondering if Cas would actually be able to make it. He stood up, keeping a hand on Cas and helping him up as well. He stepped out of the tub and grabbed two towels, wrapping one around Cas's shoulders before securing his own around his middle. He kept his hands close to Cas nervously, afraid he was going to fall or slip.

Castiel followed Dean's movement out of the tub slowly, holding the towel around his shoulders. He blinked more, trying to keep up. He was doing okay but after he started drying himself, he got more tired. He teetered a little, catching Dean's hand. "Maybe I was wrong..." he murmured.

Dean saw Cas wobble slightly, holding his hand firmly to help support him. "I got you." He replied, not wanting to risk it at all. He bent over and scooped Cas up in his arms, cradling him against his chest. He walked out of the bathroom and towards his bed, bracing a knee against the mattress as he carefully lowered Cas onto the sheets.

Castiel didn't even fuss, he was mostly asleep when Dean picked him up. His head was resting on Dean's chest as his eyes slowly shut. He felt Dean walking them to the bed then he felt the loss of warmth for a moment. He made a small disapproving sound, but his eyes were still closed.

Dean chuckled lightly at the noise Cas made, crawling on to the bed and lying down beside him. He pulled the blankets up over them before wrapping his arms around Cas and pulling him against himself. Dean felt a deep stir of affection and pressed a kiss into his hair, knowing Cas was already pretty much asleep. "Even if you're not perfect," he murmured, barely audible, as he closed his eyes. "You're still the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Castiel snuggled himself further into Dean when he felt the warmth come back. He was mostly asleep but caught some words that Dean said, he smiled a little, figuring he had a nice dream. They slept for a while and for the first time, Castiel didn't wake up first. He was completely buried into Dean in a deep sleep.

Dean woke up slowly, blinking a few times and yawning. He glanced down at Cas and smiled, realizing that for once he'd woken up first. He watched Cas's face for a moment, looking at how peaceful and relaxed it looked, before leaning over and kissing his cheek softly.

Castiel made a soft sound, smiling a little and cuddling closer to Dean. He let out a soft breath, stretching out slightly before he slowly blinked awake. He squeezed Dean a little, before glancing up. "Oh, Hello..." he smiled drowsily. "You're awake." he said.

"Yeah, I actually woke up before Sleeping Beauty." Dean replied with a smile. "I think you needed that sleep though. Actually you definitely did." He added with a chuckle, thinking of how tired Cas had been earlier.

"I was not asleep for years Dean. Though it does feel like that." Castiel felt a lot better, like everything was just really relaxed and rejuvenated. He could kind of remember of what happened but not really, everything was in pieces. It was a mixture of him thinking he was dreaming and reality.

"You are cute when you sleep. And when you're tired enough to be delirious." Dean added with a grin.

"I was delirious?" Castiel looked up at him. "What do you mean?" He asked. "I remember bits and pieces but not so much everything. Did I do something weird?"

"No, not weird, just cute. You said I was silly for thinking you were funny and at one point you just started poking my face." Dean replied with a laugh. "You were really out of it. You almost fell asleep just drying off."

Castiel blushed a little, "Oh. I'm sorry, I probably was a little of a hassle." He said. He vaguely remembered Dean picking him up and setting him down for a bath but not so much the conversation.

Dean shook his head. "You're never a hassle. Besides, I don't mind carrying you, and you were pretty funny sometimes, and sweet. Except apparently you don't want me to grow a beard." He said with a grin.

"Yes, I don't think I'll like you with a beard. It's scratchy." Castiel made a face. "I don't think I can imagine you with one. It doesn't sound right." He lightly touched Dean's cheek. "I like your appearance now, but if you would like to grow a beard, it's not my choice." He said. "What did I say to you?" He asked.

"Nah, I don't want a beard. I was just messing with you." Dean replied with a laugh. "And you told me you like smelling like me." He added with a grin. "Nothing embarrassing, don't worry."

Castiel laughed lightly, "So I was just being truthful to you. I do enjoy smelling like you. It's calming, like you're there with me." He explained. He brushed his cheek against Dean's, "So I'll assume you enjoyed making me really tired." He said.

Dean grinned and nodded. "Yeah, I really did. And you seemed to like getting tired." He replied. "It was weird that Gabriel got that stuff for us, but honestly I'm glad he did."

"I expected only the weirdest things from Gabriel. He tends to keep people on their toes on what he could send them." Castiel replied. "He enjoys giving people weird perspectives of him." He added. "Earlier was...very overwhelming...but it wasn't bad. Not at all. I really enjoyed it..." He said softly.

"Well I'm definitely on my toes about anything he'd give me." Dean replied with a chuckle. "And yeah, I noticed That you seemed kinda overwhelmed." He said, thinking of when Cas's eyes had started watering. "We probably should've set up some way for you to let me know if it was too much." He realized, frowning slightly.

"It was overwhelming but I didn't mind it. It felt really good, but it was just...everywhere. I didn't really know where to concentrate. I believe it was a body reaction for me to...tear up." Castiel said softly. "It wasn't wrong, I really enjoyed it despite the tears." He added. "For telling you on if it's too much, I can tilt your face toward me and tap you face accordingly." He said. He cupped Dean's face in his hands, lightly tapping his face with his fingertips. "Two taps is okay." He demonstrated. "Both hand tap on either of your face is I need to breath or a break. Then pinching your cheeks for stop." He offered.

Dean nodded, glad to have some signs set up. "At the time I figured you'd push me away or do something if it was too much, but I feel better knowing definitely what you're thinking. So two taps is okay, two hands is break, pinching is stop." He repeated, making sure he'd remember.

"I trust you. I trust that you'll know when I'm pushing limits and that you'll listen to me when I say something." Castiel told him. "Most of this is supposed to be built on trust and I trust you." He smiled.

Dean nodded. "I will, definitely. And I trust that you won't try to push yourself farther than you should for my sake." He replied. "So it looks like we've got the trust thing down." He said with a smile.

Castiel laced their fingers together after finding Dean's hand. "Yes, I suppose we do." He said. He exhaled slowly, "Do we have to go cook dinner now?" He asked. "Is it late yet?"

Dean glanced over at the clock and shrugged. "It's getting to be around time for dinner, but we can sit here for a little longer if you want." He offered.

Castiel was always willing to spend more time hugging Dean and would use as much time as he could. "Okay, we'll stay for a little longer." he smiled, cuddling back into Dean and holding him close. "It doesn't take that long to cook dinner anyways, I still have the premade things we have done early still left, so we would just need to put it together and have the oven preheated to make it." he said.

Dean smiled, glad they were staying. He wrapped his arms a little more snugly around Cas. "Good. I didn't want to move either." He said with a grin. Everything seemed more simple and relaxed when he was huddled up with Cas, and happier in general.

Castiel slid one of his legs between Dean's to come closer. He breathed happily, laying against Dean. It was quiet like it was when they took a bath together, just the sound of light breathing. Castiel rested his head near Dean's chest so he could hear his heartbeat, it was calming. Everything with Dean just felt a lot better than it would alone. He smiled a little, placing a small kiss right over his heart.

Dean smiled, kissing the top of Cas's head before carding his hand through his hair softly. He'd never thought he'd be so content with someone else, just lying in bed and enjoying the silence between them. He could feel Cas's even breathing against him, his own breathing almost matching it.

Castiel felt Dean's fingers through his hair, he hummed approvingly, enjoying the warm feeling of fingers through his hair. "I like you playing with me hair..it feels nice." he mumbled. "I could fall back asleep like this." he said.

"Mm, maybe I should stop. I can't let the chef fall asleep again right before dinner." Dean said with a smile, continuing to run his fingers through his hair. He twisted a few strands gently around with a finger before combing it back out again with his hand.

Castiel made a denying sound, "I really like you playing with my hair, it feels really nice. If I fell asleep, you could wake me up. I don't mind being woken up." he said. "It'll only take 15 minutes to cook the pizza and a few extra to put it together... I think we'll be fine." he mumbled.

"I know, don't worry. I'm not going to stop." Dean assured him with a smile. "I like stroking your hair too- it's soft. And if you nod off, I'll wake you up when I start getting hungry." He added, chuckling.

Castiel smiled softly against Dean's skin. "You think my hair is soft?" he said curiously, "It's good that you like my hair, because I like you touching it." he chuckled lightly. He closed his eyes again, resting against Dean. He could hear his heartbeat and the warmth around him was making him a bit tired. He was relaxed like he always was when he was in Dean's arms.

Dean smiled. "We just work together." He murmured as he played with Cas's hair, running his fingers through it to make it stand up before petting it with his hand to smooth it down again.

Castiel made a soft sound of agreement, nodding off a bit. He could feel how Dean was playing with his hair and it felt really nice. He had closed his eyes and he was falling back asleep with the gentle touches. He held Dean a little more, holding him close.

Dean continued to lightly card his hand through Cas's hair. He glanced down at him and smiled, knowing he'd probably fall asleep soon. Dean wasn't tired anymore, but he enjoyed have Cas against him and didn't mind the quiet sound of Cas's steady breathing.

Castiel nodded off, breathing evenly against Dean. He didn't mean to leave Dean alone in silence just stroking his hair but he just really enjoyed the feeling, mostly if it was coming from Dean. He kept his arms around him as he relaxed his arms. They had to get up eventually and soon but a small nap for him didn't seem that bad. If someone needed them, they would have came and got them.

Dean decided to let Cas sleep a while, figuring he could use it. He let his mind wander as he stroked Cas's hair, thinking mainly about Cas. He still didn't totally understand what he saw in him, but he decided not to question it anymore. His hand eventually slowed and stopped, resting around his shoulders. He glanced down at Cas as he started feeling hungry, wondering how long he should let him sleep.

Castiel let out a slow breath, feeling peaceful but in his subconscious he figured he'd been sleeping for a while and decided it was time to wake up. He slowly blinked awake, rubbing his eyes. "M' sorry I fell asleep." he mumbled, stretching out a little before settling back down. He looked up at Dean, "What did you do when I fell asleep?" he asked softly.

"It's okay, I don't mind. You must've needed it." Dean replied, glancing down at him and smiling at Cas's completely mussed hair. "I was just thinking." He said, rubbing his back a little.

Castiel smiled at Dean softly, "What were you thinking about?" he asked. "I do feel a lot better after the rest but I think it was because I was happy you were lulling me into sleep with soft touches." he said.

"That I'm glad I've got you. " Dean replied. "Still not sure how I managed that, but I must've done something right." He chuckled.

"Being yourself." Castiel smiled, leaning up to kiss Dean. "That's how you got me." he said. He placed a kiss at the tip of Dean's nose, laughing lightly. "We should get out of bed before we don't at all." he chuckled.

"Mm, good point. I'm starting to get pretty hungry anyway." Dean replied with a chuckle. "I'm definitely ready for some taco pizza." He added, grinning.

Castiel laughed lightly, "I'm sure you are." he said. He lifted the blankets slightly, "I'm assuming that we both fell asleep after drying then." he said, noting that they both weren't wearing clothes. "I must have really fallen asleep while drying myself off." he added. He looked down at his chest, seeing all the bites and hickies. He ran his fingers over a few. "That's okay though, you're more comfortable against skin." he chuckled before sliding out of bed. He stretched his arms over his head, feeling some bones pop in place and muscles pulling. He sighed happily before getting up and going over to his suitcase for clothes.

"You know me so well." Dean replied with a grin, watching Cas stretch before moving off the bed as well. "You didn't seem to mind either though." He added, going over to his drawers to pull out some clothes.

"How can I? You were holding me. That's enough to make me happy." Castiel replied easily, finding a pair of underwear and pants. He slipped those on first before picking up a t-shirt to wear. He didn't have a lot of lounge clothing so he figured Gabriel put some in here. He went into the bathroom to see if any of the marks were visible. They were barely underneath the collar but it was enough. He looked at his hair and laughed a little. "You made a mess of my hair." he said, running his fingers through it to smooth it out.

"You wanted me to pet you." Dean replied with a grin, fishing out clean underwear and a pair of jeans. "That's one of the consequences." He laughed, glancing over at him as he pulled on a shirt.

"I never said it was bad." Castiel laughed. "I'm just commenting on how it looks. Besides, you make my hair a mess in multiple ways and I'm okay with any of those." He said as he walked out of the bathroom, looking over at Dean before walking over to the door.

"I like all the ways I mess it up too." Dean replied with a grin, smoothing out his hair and walking over to Cas. "Hm, I should probably be a little more careful." He said, tugging Cas's collar up slightly to cover one of the marks that had been starting to show a little.

"Hmm?" Castiel looked up at him, "Oh. Make up can cover it up." he said. "I don't mind the marks just only about what Sam and Bobby would say." he added. "Can you see any bites on me now?" he asked, turning to look at Dean before he opened the door. His hair was mostly smoothed out, it looked like his normal messy look just fluffier.

"I don't think they'd notice, hopefully. But you're good." Dean replied with a smile, leaning forward to kiss him. "Yep, good." He said, opening the door and walking with Cas downstairs.

Castiel smiled, holding Dean's hand. He took him into the kitchen, he hummed softly. He let go of Dean's hand to start making the pizza. He turned on the oven and put it all together. He walked back over to Dean once he put it in the oven, hugging him. He slowly exhaled. "I think I kind of like the thought of being able to hug you whenever." He said.

Dean smiled, wrapping his arms around Cas and squeezing him slightly. "I like it too. And you can hug me whenever you want." He said, leaning forward to kiss the top of his head.

Castiel laughed lightly, "I'll be sure to do that." He said. Sam came downstairs right after he said that, "Oh, didn't mean to intrude. I'll just head back up." He said.

Castiel looked at him, "You're not really interrupting anything. I was just telling Dean I enjoy hugging him." He said.

Sam laughed a little, "Yeah, I'm intruding." He said.

Dean glanced up at Sam and grinned. "Hey, at least its just hugging." He chuckled, squeezing Cas slightly. "Dinner's almost ready though." He added, nodding towards the oven.

"You have a point." Sam shrugged a little. "Oh, thanks." he said.

Castiel looked at Dean when he squeezed him, he laughed a little and turned in his arms. He didn't feel Dean let go so he tried walking to the oven only to be followed by him. He laughed, "Dean, let me go." he said, looking over his shoulder at him.

Dean grinned, holding Cas more tightly and kissing his cheek. "Okay, but only because you're getting food." He replied, squeezing him one last time before releasing his grip, staying close to him.

"Yeah and you wonder why I feel like when you guys stare at each other it feels like I'm invading in something private and have to like excuse myself." Sam rolled his eyes. "Definitely intruding." he said.

Castiel laughed lightly, "I think we do display a lot of affection but if you don't think we should that much, we can try to minimize it." he offered.

"No, it's cool with me as long as I don't see more than I should or want to. Just feeling like I'm stepping into a private world." Sam said.

Castiel glanced over at him as he grabbed a mitt and walked toward the over, "I would see why you would come to the thought of intruding when we exchange looks because many words can be spoken without them, hence being more intimate than touching." he said as he opened the oven and pulled out the pan.

Dean smiled slightly at Cas's explanation, wondering how he could be so straightforward and open about it. Dean knew he was right, of course, but he still getting used to being open about it. He did feel like they were in their own little world when they were together, and he could understand why Sam felt like a third wheel, though he said he didn't mind the affection. "Don't worry Sammy, we'll pause our private world long enough for us all to eat." He joked lightly.

"Yeah alright, I don't even think you do that." Sam chuckled.

Castiel had taken the pan out and set it on a towel, then he put all the toppings as he did before back on it and cut it up again. "Okay, if you can call Bobby in then we can eat." Said Castiel.

Dean shrugged and chuckled at Sam's comment before going to the door of the kitchen. "Bobby, dinner's ready." He called before walking over to where Cas was standing with the pizza. "Looks just as good as it did for lunch." He said with a smile.

Bobby came in, glancing over at the pizza. "Smells just as good too." He commented.

Castiel smiled, "Then I hope it taste the same then." he said. Sam got plates for everyone and let them take one each. Him and Dean took a bite at the same time, "Definitely taste the same, probably better." Sam laughed.

Castiel looked pleased, taking a piece after Bobby and biting into it. "I plan on making thanksgiving dinner tomorrow." Castiel started, "Is there anything that any of you would like in particular that I make?" he asked.

Sam shrugged, "I'm good with anything. We don't have to settle for store food this time and that's enough for me." he said.

"It doesn't matter to me what you make, I already know it'll be awesome." Dean replied between bites. "Plus you said you'd make pie, so I'm set." He added with a grin.

Bobby rolled his eyes and chuckled. "You could probably make nothing but pie and Dean would be happy." He said. "But they're right, you can make whatever you want and we'll be happy. It'll taste better than any Thanksgiving we've had in a while."

Castiel smiled brightly, "Okay, I'll be sure to try my best." he said excitedly.

Sam laughed lightly, "Didn't know it was exciting to cook that much food." he said.

Castiel glanced at him with a smile, "I find cooking relaxing, but this is special. I get to spend another holiday with you guys and not be home alone. It is better in every aspect, since I would have Dean helping me cook, I would be cooking for people I feel grateful to, and I'm happy here." he chuckled a little, "It actually just seems like this is more of a benefit for me than for your guys." he said.

Dean smiled slightly, glad that Cas wouldn't be alone either and that he really was looking forward to it. It still wasn't exactly a typical Thanksgiving, but there'd be good food and everyone would be enjoying each other's company. It would be a lot better than most of the Thanksgiving either of them had had in the past, at least. "Then I guess it's a good deal for everyone." Bobby said with a smile.

"Yeah." Sam smiled, "So Cas, what did you do for previous years on thanksgiving then?" he asked.

"Mostly what I do on any other night. I would cook dinner for myself and read. Sometimes I would go by the fireplace and just sit. It would have been nice to have a pet in the house so I wouldn't be alone but it was restricted since they shed and cause messes." Castiel answered..

Dean hated the thought of Cas spending his thanksgivings alone in that big house. Even though his thanksgivings were nothing close to perfect, at least he'd always had family around. But this year was different- they'd all be together. "Well, we don't have any pets, but I like to think I'm better company than a dog or cat." Dean joked.

"Yeah, but you still make a mess like one." Bobby replied teasingly.

"Yep, like a puppy, an untrained one. Kittens or cats are probably a little better at cleaning." Sam teased.

Castiel perked, "Oh that's right." he suddenly thought. "Do you have any baby pictures of Dean?" he asked hopefully. "Dean had said that you might have some and that it would be okay to ask." he said.

Sam looked over at Bobby, "Bobby? Don't we have some in a box?" he asked.

Dean groaned. "I was hoping you'd forget about that." He muttered, glancing over at Cas.

Bobby chuckled. "I'm glad you didn't. We do have some, hang on." He said, standing and disappearing for a moment before walking back in with a shoe box. "Not all of these are Dean, but some are." He said, rifling through the box and pulling out some photos. He handed them over to Cas- one was of Dean as a toddler, dressed as a fireman for Halloween. The others had him sleeping in a crib, crying in a bathtub, grinning beside newborn Sam in the same crib as before, and one of John holding him while he slept.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, hearing him mutter under his breath. "I did forget, but they were talking about puppies and kittens. Babies." he said. Castiel looked really happy that they did have some, Sam was chuckling at Dean. Castiel put aside the plate when Bobby came back and handed him pictures. He held them carefully, face softening into adoration. He looked through the pictures, smiling a little. He glanced over at Dean. "You were a cute child." he chuckled softly, looking back at them. "May I keep one of these?" he asked. He really would like to keep them all but they weren't his to keep.

"You just had to bring up puppies." Dean scowled at Sam jokingly. He didn't really mind Cas looking at his babies photos, especially he seemed to honestly think Dean was cute.

"Sure, take whichever you want." Bobby replied. "I know you'll take good care of it."

Sam shrugged, "Not my fault, besides look how happy Cas looks." he said.

Castiel smiled gratefully at Bobby, "I'll be sure to." he said softly, keeping the ones that he gave to him. He kind of just stared over the pictures, feeling his heart flutter and squeeze. He felt really happy and affectionate. He glanced over at Dean, smiling.

Dean glanced over at Cas and smiled slightly, realizing that Sam was right- he really did look happy. Bobby nodded and smiled, knowing he would. The look on his face made it clear that he would cherish them, there was no question about that.

Sam chuckled before he ate the last bite of the pizza and putting his dish in the sink. "Well thanks for the food, if you need help cooking tomorrow, I'll do the best that I can if you need it." he offered.

Castiel smiled, "Okay, thank you." he said. His plate still had a little bit left on it, but he was clearly done eating after he received Dean's pictures.

"Yeah, we'll help however we can." Bobby agreed, putting away his plate as well before following Sam upstairs. Dean smiled at Cas and took both their plates, knowing Cas was done. He put both of their plates up before walking over behind Cas and bending over to look at the photos over his shoulder. "I guess I'm flattered that you think I'm so cute." He said with a grin, kissing Cas on the cheek.

"You were adorable. I find you much cuter than cute." Castiel smiled at the kiss on his cheek. "You still had your freckles, those bright green eyes, and an expressive expression. Very much like you now." he said as he glanced back at Dean. "I'm happy they allowed me to keep these pictures." he smiled again. "It was very kind of them."

Dean smiled. "Yep, and still just as adorable, right?" He asked with a grin. "But of course they let you. You looked so happy just looking at them." He said, thinking about it. "It's kind of sweet." He added.

Castiel laughed lightly, turning to face Dean. "Yes, you're still just as adorable." He kissed Dean's cheek. "You think it's sweet that I looked happy?" He asked, "You looked happy yourself when looking at mine." He said.

"Hmm. We're so couple-y." Dean replied seriously before breaking into a grin. "I never thought I'd be in one of those lovey dovey relationships, but I finally see what it's all about." He said with a smile.

Castiel tipped his head to the side, "Are we not supposed to display our affections? Is that not what a relationship is about? If we were not "lovey dovey" what would we be?" He asked. "I never really understand why that saying was said that way." He said.

"I don't either. But I like how affectionate and everything is. I didn't think I'd want that sort of thing before I met you, but now I'm glad we are." Dean replied honestly. He couldn't imagine not being like that with Cas now though.

Castiel smiled, "I'm glad you enjoy it and that you want to do it with me." He said. He leaned up and kissed Dean softly, "It makes me a bit happy that you do it more with me than your previous relationships."

Dean returned the kiss softly before he chuckled slightly. "I didn't do any of this sort of thing with past girlfriends." He admitted. "And even I did, it wouldn't have meant what it does with you."

Castiel looked up at him, "What sort of things? The things we do? Like cooking together?" he asked. He smiled a little after, "Then that does make me feel more special, since I am the first male you have attempted a relationship with and these sort of affections." He said happily.

"You should feel special because you are. And not just because you mean so much to me." Dean added with a smile. "But I know what you mean- I like being your first in things too." He said with a grin, kissing him briefly.

Castiel smiled softly, returning Dean's kiss. "Thank you Dean. That was very sweet of you. And I do believe that you are my first in a lot more things to me than I am to you." he chuckled lightly. "I don't mind though, it still makes me happy." he hugged Dean tightly.

Dean smiled and wrapped his arms around Cas as well. "I can be sweet from time to time." He said with a chuckle. "I'm glad you're still happy. That's what matters anyway." He added.

"You're pretty sweet all the time." Castiel chuckled. "Our happiness matters. Not just mine. Yours does as well." he smiled. "So would you like to go to sleep now? Or would you just like to stay in the kitchen and listen to me talk about how much I like you?" he said in amused way.

Dean laughed. "You know, that's tempting, but we can go upstairs and sleep. You can tell me how awesome I am some other time." He joked. "And I think we're both happy when the other is, so that's good."

Castiel smiled, "Okay." he said, taking Dean's hand and started walking upstairs. "Are you still tired?" he asked. "I'm not sure if I'm exactly tired yet, seeing as I slept twice before dinner." he chuckled. He lead them to Dean's room, opening the door for them. "If you're tired, I can stroke your hair until you fall asleep." he offered with a smile.

"Mm, that sounds like a nice way to fall asleep. Even though I'm not that tired I probably fall asleep." Dean replied as he followed Cas in to his bedroom. "It is really nice though, having you sleep here."

"I find it very nice to sleep here as well. I get to see you every morning." Castiel said as he walked Dean to the bed. "I get to stroke your hair this time." He smiled. "I enjoy playing with your hair as well, it feels nice." he chuckled. He kept his shirt on but took off the jeans he was wearing, he crawled into bed and put the blankets aside. He opened his arms, laughing a little. "C'mere." he said happily.

Dean took off his own jeans as well, pausing for a moment before he got into the bed. "That's probably the most inviting my bed's ever looked." He said with a smile- Cas smiling with the blankets folded back, waiting to stroke his hair until he fell asleep. He crawled happily into bed beside him, laying with his head against Cas's chest.

Castiel laughed softly, hugging Dean's head for a moment. He cradled the side of Dean's head with one arm as he tread his fingers through Dean's head with the other. He scooted closer to Dean, leaning his head a little into him and kissing the top softly. He hummed lightly as he ran his fingers through Dean's hair, perfectly content and happy.

Dean sighed in content, closing his eyes and draping his arm across Cas. "That feels good." He murmured with a smile, snuggling into him. "I can see why you like it." He added, enjoying Cas's fingers running through his hair.

"It's a calming and loving feeling." Castiel replied softly. Dean didn't have as long hair as he did but it was still nice to play with the little ends of his hair. He just ran his hand in Dean's hair continuously and slowly. He lightly scraped his nails against Dean's scalp as he stroked his hair. He hugged Dean close, settling on the top of his head and just breathing.

"Mhm, I like it." Dean murmured softly, the slow, rhythmic feel of Cas petting his hair starting to lull him to sleep. He curled his hands into Cas's shirt, glad that he had his own shirt that smelled more like him than of Dean and his breathing steadied into a light sleep.

Castiel smiled into Dean's hair, still petting his hair. He started to sing softly, figuring Dean was going to falling asleep pretty soon so he wouldn't notice so much. He started singing Carry on my Wayward song softly, lightly brushing Dean's hair. It was really quiet so there was nothing really interrupting him.

Dean could faintly hear Cas singing as he slipped fully into sleep, completely relaxed and content with his arm still across him.

Castiel heard Dean's even breathing as he finished, he lightly ran his nails on Dean's back before pulling the blanket over them. He snuggled closer into Dean, kissing the top of his head again as he stroked his back. He was enjoying the peaceful air, eventually he fell asleep, holding Dean close in his arms and smiling softly.


	10. Happy Thanksgiving....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as Dean promised, they'll spend the holidays together. But sometimes, things don't go as planned. Best holiday or worst day ever? 
> 
> A/N This chapter contains Rape. Sorry to say but the next few chapter will be sad.

Dean stayed huddled around Cas the entire night, blinking awake slowly with his head still resting on his chest. He stayed still for a moment, slowly waking himself more and enjoying the feeling of Cas breathing beneath him. He moved his head so that he was looking up a Cas, still using him as a pillow.

Castiel had woken up not long before Dean and he was just laying there, spacing out. He felt Dean move and he looked down at him with a small smile. "Good Morning Dean." he greeted softly. "Did you sleep well?" he asked. He gently ran his hand up and down Dean's back as he waited for a reply.

Dean smiled and nodded against his chest. "G'morning. And yeah, you're comfy." He affirmed. "It felt really nice. What about you?" He asked, propping himself up on his elbows to look at Cas.

Castiel nodded, "I always sleep really well when I'm with you." he replied. "Happy thanksgiving." he smiled, leaning down slightly to kiss Dean's forehead.

"Oh yeah, happy thanksgiving." Dean replied with a smile. "Don't want to forget about that." He said with a chuckle. "So are you ready for a whole lot of cooking, eating, and sitting around?" He asked with a grin. "Sounds like a good holiday to me."

"Sounds like any other day around here with you." Castiel laughed. "Today is supposed to be the day where you celebrate what you are thankful for. And the thing I am most grateful for is meeting you Dean." he smiled. "I'm thankful for a lot of things, but you are on the top of my list of what I am thankful and grateful for." he said.

"I'm thankful for meeting you too, Cas." Dean replied, smiling softly. "You really changed my life. I never thought I'd be so... happy all the time. It's like I wake up smiling with you and don't stop until after I'm asleep." He said. "So thank you for existing. And for giving me that piece of paper on the first day." He added with a grin.

"It was because you didn't give up on me that we are here." Castiel told him. He scooted down a little and wrapped his arms around Dean's shoulders. "Talking to me, helping me, comforting me, saving me, treating me, just being there." he said. "If I had to be thankful for everything you have done, I would have a long list. So I would be thankful for you as a whole, you really changed my life as well and I wouldn't have it any other way." he explained.

Dean smiled, leaning forward to kiss him softly. "Not giving up on you was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made." He replied. "And I wouldn't have it any other way either- even if it's a little rough sometimes."

Castiel smiled a little, "We don't have to worry about that for now..." he said quietly. He leaned up and kissed Dean's cheek. "Do you want to go get ready to start the day? We have a lot of cooking we would need to do." he said.

Dean smiled and nodded, sitting up. "You're right, we've got a turkey to roast, potatoes to mash, a pie or two to bake." He replied with a grin. "Got a lot to do, but it's all good." He said, giving Cas one more peck on the cheek before sliding off the bed and walking to his drawers to get clothes.

Castiel laughed lightly, slowly moving off the bed and going to go get some clothes. "You seem really excited about us cooking even though it's going to be a lot of work." he said. He slid on a short sleeved polo and some jeans. "Though it will be interesting to cook with you today since we're going to be doing a lot of it." he smiled. He walked into the bathroom to do his morning routine.

"Well, I'm counting on you to do the hard stuff while I'm cutting vegetables or something." Dean replied with a chuckle, pulling on a pair of jeans and a button down. "Plus it'll all be worth it once we get to eat what we made." He added, rolling up his sleeves partially on his forearms as he walked over to the bathroom to finish getting ready.

Castiel laughed a little, drying off his face after washing it and brushing his teeth. "That's a given, but you'll be a really big help if you cut vegetables up for me." he said. He brushed out his hair as Dean came in and he looked over at him. "I have not seen you in a button down before." he commented. "You look very dashing." he smiled.

Dean smiled, glancing down at himself and back at Cas. "Thanks, you look pretty good yourself." He replied, stepping around Cas to splash water on his face and towel it off. "I'm basically an expert vegetable cutter now." He said with a grin, grabbing his tooth brush. "Well, okay, not an expert, but definitely better than I used to be." He chuckled before brushing his teeth.

"Yes you are, and you're very helpful." Castiel smiled. He leaned over and kissed Dean on the cheek, "I'm going downstairs first, I'll get things set up and then you can join me." he said before walking out of the bathroom and downstairs.

Before Dean could go downstairs with Cas, Sam caught him. "Hey Dean..." he started. "Is there any way that Dad would be home for thanksgiving? I...I thought I saw him but I guess I could be just thinking things. He hasn't been home for a long time so there's no way he could be here...Right? I'm probably just overthinking things." Sam paused a moment, looking at Dean worriedly before he sighed. "Sorry, you can go now. Didn't mean to hold you up." he said.

Dean frowned worriedly, wondering if Sam was over thinking or not. "He hasn't been home in forever- don't worry, I doubt he'd come home now." He assured Sam before heading down the stairs, though the thought was still troubling him. Surely their dad wouldn't come home now, but Sam wasn't one to see things like that randomly.

Castiel was downstairs washing all the ingredients and putting out the pans so they could use them. He preheated the oven and was waiting for Dean to come down. He figured that Dean probably was talking to Sam about something since he was taking longer than that. He started to peel potatoes while he waited for Dean then he heard someone come into the kitchen.

"Oh, are you done talking to Sam-" Castiel glanced up to see someone else. He thought this person looked familiar but he couldn't quite place it. "Hello...may I help you?" Castiel asked.

"Who the hell are you?" the man asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry are you supposed to be here? I don't really know who's supposed to be company around here." Castiel replied.

"I live here." the man said.

Castiel was a bit flustered, not sure how to deal with this situation. He saw Dean coming in, "Dean. Who is this? I don't really know how am I supposed to treat him." he said.

Dean came down the stairs, seeing Cas first and turning slightly when he asked about another person. His eyes widened and he hesitated slightly, at first not completely sure if he was actually there, before continuing into the kitchen. So Sam wasn't seeing things after all.

"Dad, you're home." He said, not taking his eyes off of him.

Dean was trying to gauge what sort of mood he was in, and part of him desperately hoped that he was just stopping by to see everyone before disappearing watched Dean and saw different emotions bounce across his face and none of them seemed happy. He slowly shifted his gaze to the man that Dean called dad.

John's brows furrowed, "Yeah I am. What of it? Who the hell is this in the kitchen?" He asked.

Castiel wasn't sure how he was supposed to act. "Uh... hello. I'm Castiel Milton...it's nice to meet you sir." He said politely.

"Why the fuck are you here?" John asked in an annoyed tone.

"Oh... I...I was invited to spend thanksgiving..." Castiel swallowed, replying kind of shyly and hesitantly.

"Speak up! No one is going to fucking take you seriously if you mumble." John snapped. Castiel flinched, nodding and not saying anything. He looked down, making himself smaller.

Dean stiffened, his jaw clenching at his dad talking to Cas that way. "We invited him to stay." He said tersely, slightly emphasizing the 'invited' and stepping over beside Cas. He could hardly believe John had just shown up and was already being a jerk, especially to Cas. Then again, Dean know not to expect much else from him. Castiel didn't look up from his spot, he just stared at their feet. He felt a bit better with Dean so close but also not.

"Why would you even invite him? He seems weak and fragile, he's already cowering just from me giving him tips." John gestured to him. "Hey! Head up!" He snapped. Castiel flinched again, not lifting his head up. He was scared and this was his response to it.

"Just leave him alone." Dean demanded, stepping in front of Cas protectively to block him from his father. "He's not weak, and I invited him because I actually want him here." He said, temper rising quickly. "Because he actually makes me happy." He added, wishing his dad could just leave them all alone again.

John squared himself up, "Watch who you're talking to boy." he gritted. "I might not be here often, but I'm still your fucking father and I won't be talked down by a brat like you." he bit. He looked between the two, seeing Dean fully using himself to block Castiel. Castiel reached out and held the hem of Dean's shirt, something at least reassuring. John scoffed, "Makes you happy? So are you telling me you're dating that shrimp? You're some sort of fag?"

Dean gritted his teeth. "Yeah, actually, I am, and he's not a shrimp." He said angrily. "Why does it even matter to you? You're just going to mooch off Bobby for a week, drink yourself sick, and disappear again. So why do you even care?" He retorted, hopping to fully direct his dad's attention to himself rather than Cas.

John fumed, "I can make whatever choice I fucking want! I'm an adult and you're still just a brat so I don't need to justify my actions to you!" he snapped back, stepping closer to them. "You have no right to talk to me in that way now or ever! You've been stepping out of line since we first made eye contact, maybe you should learn to respect your elders." he threatened.

Dean squared his shoulders, meeting John's gaze coldly. If he had come in insulting Dean, he would've taken it. But he'd come in and starting cussing out Castiel, and now was saying Dean ought to respect him. His anger flared and he shifted forward slightly, meeting his challenge.

"Oh, you want respect? Then why don't you do something worth respecting." He snapped coldly.

"You fucking brat!" John raised his arm to hit Dean and Castiel had glanced up when he saw movement.

He quickly stepped in front of Dean, getting in the way when John swung his hand to hit him. Castiel took the hit for it, stumbling slightly off the side. He bit his lip from making a sound, he touched his cheek, feeling the stinging feeling. "P-please refrain from h-hitting Dean..." He said shakily. "H-he's your son." He added.

John glared at Castiel, "A brat who talks back should be put in his place." He snarled. "Don't get in my way!" He yelled.

Castiel flinched, "Y-you can't hit him. I won't let you." He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves but he was scared.

"Yeah, a coward like you could do so much." John scoffed.

Dean had braced himself for the blow, already expecting it to come, but definitely hadn't expected Cas to move in the way. He was frozen for a moment, completely shocked that Cas would do that, and a wave of guilt washed over him that he'd been struck because of Dean trying to protect him.

"Cas, don't, please. I can handle this." He pleaded quietly. "Just go wait outside or something." He said to him, turning slightly to glare at his father.

Castiel shook his head, not looking up yet. "I can't leave if I-I know you're going to be hurt..." He replied, walking back closely to Dean. Dean held out an arm beside him to push Cas slightly behind him so he wouldn't get in the crossfire again.

John scoffed again, "You have this shrimp protecting you? Maybe you're less than what he is." He spoke in a degrading tone.

"Dean is not weak." Castiel swallowed, saying that statement better than all his sentences before that. He looked up to see John glowering at him and he looked down again.

"Cas. Please. I can take care of it, I'll be fine." Dean said over to him before turning his gaze back to his father, his anger still blazing. "So what if I am less than him? It's still more than you'll ever be." He snapped.

Castiel let his hand drop from his face, he didn't want to leave Dean. He was scared for him and cared more about his well-being than his own. Sam walked in at this point, already knowing the tension. "No fighting in the house. We have company." He said flatly.

"And what would that matter?" John glared at Sam.

Sam kept a straight face, "You can keep it to yourself or get the out." He said coldly. He was taller than John so he towered slightly over him. "C'mon Cas. Let's go." He said, ushering him out.

Castiel looked up again towards Dean. He looked worried, scared, guilty. The bruise was forming on his cheek and it was a contrast to his skin tone. Sam sighed, holding him by the shoulders and leading him out.

He looked to Dean, "Hope you know what you're doing." He said quietly before leading him out.

Dean watched Sam usher Cas out, his hand clenching slightly at the bruise forming on his face. He glanced up at Sam but didn't reply, just turned back their dad after they'd gone out. He'd always taken care of John before, taking the brunt of his anger until he calmed down and was somewhat more bearable.

"Why are you doing this? Hell, why are you even here?" He asked angrily.

John turned to look at Dean, seeing him angry but that really didn't throw him off. "I'm free to come and go as I want and I don't have to explain to you why I'm doing it." John retorted. "Why the fuck are you so upset? You never seemed to give a damn before, is it because your wimp of a boyfriend got into this? That he can't really stand up for himself?" He said.

"Cas didn't 'get into this', you dragged him into it." Dean snapped. "And he can defend himself just fine, except that he shouldn't have to! You can do whatever the fuck you want to me because I'm your son and I can't do anything about it, but I'm not letting you hurt Cas." He said determinedly.

"I'm not going to go hit that wimp, he got in the way and he got hit. His fault." John stated. "He shouldn't have taken it anyways, he's just a stupid kid." He added. "You're the one who was stepping out of line, he just took the hit for you. If you were just doing what you should. He wouldn't have." He blamed Dean.

"If I had been doing what I should? And what was that exactly? Just let you blindly insult him?" Dean retorted. "He was just sticking up for me, not that you'd understand that." He said, knowing that he was getting progressively louder but not caring anymore.

"You should've not invited him, what makes him so special? Where the fuck is his family anyway? Why is he even here?" John argued. "You can't even keep him in his place and make sure he won't get hurt. You can't even protect him, what makes you think that you were doing the right thing?" He narrowed his eyes.

Dean tried to meet his gaze with a glare but broke away, staring at the wall instead. He was right. Dean couldn't even have Cas over for thanksgiving and keep him safe, not even from his own family. "If I'd known you were coming, I wouldn't have invited him." He said flatly, most of the fire gone from his voice.

"I show up and I go so it was your choice on whether or not he should have come. I came and you invited him, it was in no way my fault that I knew he was going to be here." John scoffed. "Not that it would matter anyways. You can't even go help him, Sam did and he listened. Not for those two times you asked him to leave." He told him. "Maybe you're right. He is better than you. He should let you go since he obviously had more guts to stand up to me."

Dean clenched his fists at his side, tearing his gaze from the wall to glare at his dad again. "What do you even know about any of this? You're here for ten minutes and you already think you have everything figured out." He retorted, anger rushing back to cover the pain of his father's words. "No one even wants you here. You've been gone so long we finally got used to it, and then you show up like we're supposed to be so glad you're back."

"I could careless about your reactions to whether I'm here or not." John replied. "I'm just seeing things as I see it. Hell I don't even know what the fuck you've been doing but I don't care, but all I know is obviously you can't even protect that so called person who makes you happy. I'm just seeing things how they are and apparently you don't want to accept that." He snapped at Dean.

Dean shook his head slightly, looking away again. He hated what John was saying and hated even more that he couldn't help but believe him. He couldn't protect Cas from his family or Cas's, he could hardly stick up for him against the kids at school. He was probably bringing him more harm than good, as Dean had known he would since the start. He looked back at his father again, still not saying anything and not trying to deny it anymore. "What do you even want?" He asked.

John looked away, "I didn't want anything. I'm just here again, but that's my choice." He said dismissively. "I'll be leaving again soon, don't bug me." He walked away from Dean, going upstairs.

Sam popped back in after hearing it was quiet, "Dean. What happened?" He asked. "You guys were really going at it." He said.

Dean sighed, rubbing at his eyes with his hand. "The usual." He muttered before glancing over at Sam. "It's okay now, though." He added reassuringly. "He's upstairs and he said he wasn't staying long. Where's Cas?" He asked, realizing he wasn't with Sam.

Sam nodded slightly, "Right. Cas said you'll know where to find him. He says it would been better for him to keep quiet for now." He said. "So if you're leaving, bring a jacket or something. It's going to get cold." Sam said before going into the kitchen for a water bottle and heading up stairs with pills. "I'm going to go talk to him after he calms down." He told Dean.

Dean frowned slightly, not liking the idea of Sam talking to their dad alone, but he needed to talk to Cas and he knew Sam could handle himself. "Alright, just don't rile him up too much while I'm gone, okay?" He said, grabbing his jacket and a blanket before heading out to the impala. He knew exactly where Cas would be and he wanted to get to him as soon as possible. He sped the entire way to Cas's house, parking and making his way to the edge if the woods. He frowned slightly as he started tentatively walking, trying to remember the way.

Castiel had been there for a bit longer than Dean so he used his notebook paper and slit them through the bark of the trees to lead Dean. He figured it to lead every route to him and little notes on the side, like watch out for the mud, the puddles, the branches. He was sitting by the dock waiting for Dean.

Dean smiled slightly at the notes, following them to Cas. He saw Cas sitting by the dock and took a deep breath before walking over to him and sitting down beside him. "Hey. I'm sorry about what happened back there." He said apologetically, glancing over at him and trying to see how bad the bruise had gotten.

"It's not your fault." Castiel told him. The bruise wasn't that bad, it was purple around the edges of the center of his cheek and lightly blue. It would've been worse for Dean if he would have taken the full blow instead of what he did and slightly tilting his face away the hit. He took Dean's hand, "It's not your fault, things happen." He looked over at him. He stroked his knuckles, "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Am I okay?" Dean chuckled humorlessly. "I'm fine. I'm used to it. Are you okay?" He asked, tilting Cas's head slightly to look at the bruise. "You shouldn't have gotten in the way." He said softly, not meeting his eyes.

Castiel looked across Dean's features, seeing him look only at the bruise and not at him. He raised a hand and covered the bruise. "I'm okay. It doesn't really hurt." He answered his questions. "I don't really care if I have gotten in the way, I didn't want to see you hurt. It makes it worse that you said that you're used to it." He said. "Dean...why won't you look at me." He asked softly.

Dean met his eyes briefly before turning away again, looking pained. "Because this is my fault. I'm the one who provoked him. I wanted to protect you from my dad but I just made it worse. He was right- I can't even protect what makes me happy. Not from the kids at school, not your family, not even mine." He said softly, shaking his head softly and looking out over the lake.

Castiel caught the side of Dean's face, turning it toward him. He cupped his other hand on Dean's face, to make sure he had his attention. He saw Dean's eyes avoiding it and looking at his bruise. "Don't look at the bruise. Look at me Dean." He said firmly. He stroked his thumbs on Dean's cheeks, "Dean look at me..." He said softly this time.

"This is in no way your fault. People's actions and reactions are not your fault and they never can be. People at school choose to be mean but you're not always there with me but when you are, you try your best to protect me. My family taking me away was something you couldn't have stopped, that is something at home when you're not around but if you were there, you would do everything in your power to stop it." He said.

Dean's gaze lowered, thinking about how Cas was wrong. This had to be his fault. He should've done something different, or said something differently. He thought of a bunch of different scenarios before he heard. "Don't look away from me Dean. I'm telling the truth."

Castiel gently touched Dean's face, looking at him softly. "We didn't know you're father was going to come, but you couldn't have stopped me from taking the hit for you because you wouldn't have known... it's not your fault Dean. I made that choice. Your father got angry on his own terms but you were standing up for me and that means a lot... I know you normally just take whatever someone throws at you because you think you might deserve it but you don't. You stood up for me and that speaks in volumes. Dean. This is, and never will be, your fault." Castiel told him. "Don't blame yourself, don't try to tell me okay but you still dwell on it. It's not your fault and I won't let you think that it is."

Dean closed his eyes and let out an unsteady breath before opening them again and meeting Cas's. "...You're right. I can't control what anyone else does. I'm just not used to someone getting caught in our crossfire. I'm used to arguing with him until he calms down, and Sam used to hide away and... I'm just sorry." He said, reaching up and covering Cas's hand with his own. "Even if it's not my fault." He added.

Castiel relaxed a little, "I'm sorry I got in the middle. I couldn't just let it happen." He said softly. He shivered lightly, setting as he wasn't dressed to be outside. He scooted closer to Dean, trying to get warmer. "It's okay though. He'll calm down." He added.

Dean saw Cas shivering and opened the front of his jacket, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. "It's okay. It definitely wasn't your fault. You were just sticking up for me, so thanks. It'll all calm down, it always does. Sorry that our thanksgiving started so shitty though." He said with a sigh.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean inside his jacket, sighing softly at the warmth. He rested his head in Dean's neck, "It's okay if it started bad. We still have the rest of the day." he offered. "We still haven't made any food, so it hasn't fully started." he said.

Dean squeezed Cas gently, keeping him close. "Yeah, we still have all that awesome food. And pie, of course." He replied with a small smile. "It can still be good. We won't let my dad ruin it for us." He said resolutely, now determined to have a good thanksgiving with or without his father. He already felt more confident and relaxed with Cas in his arms.

"It will definitely be better." Castiel told him. He snuggled into Dean, "You're so warm, it's nice." he smiled a little. He didn't want to head back just yet, giving them more time to just sit while everything simmered down.

"You're comfortable." Dean replied softly. "You're comforting in general." He added with a slight smile. "I'm glad you're here. But I hope my dad lays off you when we go back." He said, somewhat worried that John would continue like he had earlier.

Castiel nuzzled into Dean. He didn't really say much to that, he knew that he didn't like it but he would prefer to take the insults than Dean. "Dean, I like you a lot." He told him. "No reason why I said it. I just wanted to." He said.

Dean smiled, pushing the worries of his dad away and focusing on Cas. "You don't have to have a reason, I like hearing it." He replied with a chuckle. "I really like you too, Cas." He said softly. leaning down to kiss his temple.

Castiel laughed lightly, enjoying the soft kiss. He kissed Dean's cheek, "You're right. It is very nice to hear." He smiled.

Dean smiled, enjoying Cas's affection. The doubts John had created were buried, for now at least, while he was alone with Cas. "I guess we should probably go back soon, especially since you don't have a jacket." He said.

Castiel hummed, knowing they should leave soon, but not wanting to move just yet. "I know, but that's what I have you for." he said softly, laughing quietly. "We can leave if we really need to right now. I shouldn't keep you."

"Nah, we can sit here for a few minutes. I don't really want to go back yet." Dean admitted. "And I'll do my best to keep you warm then." He said, smiling and pulling the sides of his jackets around him as much as he could.

Castiel laughed a little, settling in Dean's lap so they were closer. He smiled at Dean, staring at him a little before kissing his nose. "You're doing a good job. Even better now that we're closer." he said. He kissed the side of Dean's head, settling there. "I'm happy you knew where to find me. It could have been anywhere." he said. "But then again, this is our hideout." he said.

Dean grinned and nodded. "Yeah, our official hideaway. I don't know where else I would've looked for you, to be honest." He replied. "And keeping you warm seems to be my specialty." He added with a chuckle.

"I don't know, maybe you would've thought that I would be too scared to come back to my house." Castiel supplied. He squeezed Dean a little, he knew that the thing that Dean was best at doing for him was making him happy. There was a lot of things that Dean did was. "I think you making me smile is your specialty." he said softly, kissing the side of Dean's face again.

"I like that specialty." Dean smiled, shifting so that he could kiss Cas softly. "I guess you're specialty is making me happy." He replied. "And you do a pretty damn good job." He added with a laugh. It didn't seem to matter what was going on, Cas could always make him smile and forget his troubles for a while.

Castiel smiled, "Yeah? I think I like my specialty then." he said. "Well, it's more like I know I like my specialty." he chuckled. He hugged Dean again, "You think we should go back now? I think things will have calmed down by now and if not, we should help." he said. "You said that Sam was talking to him, do you think things will be okay?" he asked.

"Mm, yeah, I guess so." Dean replied, frowning slightly. "Sam can handle himself. As long as they both keep their tempers under control." He sighed, knowing they definitely needed to get back. "Okay, here we go." He said with a slight smile, standing up and holding Cas with him.

Castiel laughed, still holding onto Dean. He brushed his face by Dean's, "Oh you're so romantic, coming to pick me up by the dock." he teased. He slid his legs down, getting his toes to touch the ground. He pouted a little at Dean, "It's no fair that you're taller than me." he said.

"Uh oh, it looks like I'm failing at my specialty." Dean said jokingly, crouching down slightly so that he was shorter than Cas. "I'll just walk around like this. Or you can get really tall boots." He added, breaking into a grin.

Castiel laughed, smiling brightly at Dean. He cupped his face and kissed his eyelid. "I'll go see if I should invest in tall boots or possibly heels." he joked. He slowly slid his hands from Dean's shoulders down, catching one of his hands. "Let's go back then." he said.

Dean smiled and nodded, letting Cas lead the way back to the impala. He felt much more confident in returning home now, especially if Sam had managed to calm their dad down further. They still had plenty of time to make dinner, and if everyone was pleasant to each other then it could still be a good thanksgiving.

"Did you find it easier that I left you notes on the trees?" Castiel asked as he navigated through the trees with Dean. "I'd figured they would be a nice way to help you since I wouldn't know how else I would know where you would be coming from." he said. He walked them through the path and back to the car.

"Definitely. They were really helpful. I probably would've gotten lost in the woods and eaten by a bear or something. Now /that/ would've ruined thanksgiving." Dean replied with a laugh as they walked out of the trees and towards the impala. He got in and started the engine, glancing over at Cas with a smile.

Castiel chuckled, "I don't believe there would be bears around here." he said at Dean's exaggeration. "And yes, that would have ruined thanksgiving." he added before getting into the impala and looking over at Dean who smiled at him. "I believe you have to sing to me as payment for today." he said while he smiled.

Dean looked over at him and smiled. "That's right, I almost forgot about that." He said, fiddling with the radio until he found a song he knew the words to. He sang along as he put the impala in gear and started to drive. When the song ended he turned the radio down slightly and glanced back over at Cas. "Any requests?" He offered.

Castiel had a soft smile on his face, he looked over at Dean when he asked for requests. "I'm not really sure of songs you would know." He laughed lightly. "I just enjoy you singing." He said. "You can find whatever song you would like."

"Okay, 'whatever song I want' it is." Dean replied with a chuckle, shifting through the stations again and starting to sing to one that he knew. He drove much more leisurely than he had going to Cas's house, wanting to enjoy their time alone as much as possible.

Castiel smiled, he looked over at Dean and offered his hand to hold. They've held hands while Dean was driving before and he noticed them driving casually. He glanced out the window, just enjoying the ride back.

Dean held his hand as they drove, singing the entire way back to the house. He pulled up the drive and parked in his usually spot, pausing for a moment after cutting the engine. "Well, here we go." He said with a slight smile, giving Cas's hand a squeeze before releasing it and getting out of the car.

Castiel smiled a little at Dean in return before getting out as well. He looked over at Dean before they started walking back to the house. Sam had heard the impala and was waiting by the doorway when they came up. "Everything good between you two?" he asked.

Dean nodded. "Yep, we're all good. What about you and Dad? Did you talk to him?" He asked, glancing over Sam and thinking that he seemed okay.

Sam nodded, "Yeah, we're fine. He calmed down after a bit and we talked." he said. "Well more of me lecturing him but that counts just the same." he shrugged. He sidestepped the door so they could come in. "Cas, do you need ice for that?" he asked.

Castiel shook his head, "No not yet, I just need some vinegar, warm water, and something warm to put on it after." he said. "I can just get it in the kitchen."

"Well, that's good I guess." Dean replied with a chuckle, following them in. "He probably needed a lecture from you. Hopefully he listened." He said, going in the kitchen and grabbing the vinegar. "Here you go, Cas." He said, handing it to him.

Castiel smiled a little at him before stepping around Dean and getting a small bowl and a towel. He took the vinegar from Dean and poured some into the bowl and added some warm water to it. He dabbed the corner of the towel into it and placed it on his cheek.

Sam arched a brow at what he was doing. He glanced over at Dean, "Yeah, let's hope so. I think he'll try at least." he said. "I just spent the time telling him that he needed to get his act together because me and you don't need him, we don't really give two shits or even think about him. Just things along those lines."

Castiel hummed softly, counting a bit before redabbing it back into the water and placing it back on his face. After a few moments he took it off and most of the bruising was gone. "Better?" he asked.

"Good." Dean muttered to Sam, wondering just how hard their dad was really going to try, before looking over at Cas and smiling slightly. "Yeah, it's almost all gone." He replied. "How does it feel though?" He asked, hoping it didn't hurt too badly.

Castiel looked up at Dean, "The physical appearance is better but it doesn't feel that painful. If I ice it then heat it, it will feel better." he said. "I can do that later though, as long as I don't hit my cheek then it won't hurt." he added. "Do you want to help me cook now then?" he asked.

"That's good." Dean replied, thinking there was no way he was going to let Cas get hit again. "And yeah, let's get cooking. I'm starting to get hungry already." He said with a smile. "Just tell me what to do or cut and I'll help you out."

"Do you guys want me to help?" Sam asked.

Castiel hummed, washing his hands. "I don't mind the help but if you're going to hurt yourself more than help then please refrain from doing so. I appreciate the offer though." he said.

Sam rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah, good point. Well...I'll guess I'll just go read then." he said.

Castiel dried off his hands, looking back at him. "Okay, we'll call you down when things are done." he replied. Sam smiled a little before walking upstairs.

Castiel looked back at Dean, "Please wash your hands and then I would need you to cut these for me." he gestured to the bowl of peeled potatoes and different vegetables. He set up different pans and turned on the stove.

Dean chuckled slightly as Sam went up and then nodded, washed his hands, and went over to the vegetables and starting to cut them up. "Yeah, I used to be more harm than good but now I'm a little more helpful."

"You're very helpful. It makes things move faster when you're here to help me, even if you think they are small tasks. They cut down in time, making it faster." Castiel replied. He figured to make the pie first before cooking the turkey since it was going to take longer. He boiled some water on the side to cook some pastas while he started putting together the dough. He hummed softly, "After you're done cutting those, will you please peel those apples then dice them for me please?" he asked.

"I'm glad you appreciate it." Dean finished up the vegetables and moved over to the apples. "Ohh, these are for the pie right?" He asked with a grin as he started peeling them. "Gotta be extra careful then." He said jokingly.

Castiel laughed a bit, "Yes, be very careful with the apples you're going to be eating." he replied. He had put the dough down on the counter with some flour and kneading it before he rolled it out and put it over the pin and onto the pie pan. He gently tucked it in and cut the edges. He made sure to keep a little bit of dough left for the top. Once he finished the pie piece he slid it into the refrigerator and went to the pan of pasta and stirred it. He put a colander in the sink to empty out the pasta when he was done.

Dean finished peeling and started cutting the apples like Cas had said. He paused occasionally to watch Cas as he went around doing other things. He finished up the apples, sneaking a piece to his mouth and moved to watch Cas with the pasta until he needed more help with something.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, seeing him chewing a little. "Are the apples okay?" he asked in amusement. He turned off the stove and moved aside from Dean to pour the pasta into the colander. He rinsed them in cool water and left them there. He started another pot to cook the cheese to put over the pasta, looking back at Dean. "Since you're done cutting the apples, please put them into a bowl and add the ingredients I have measured out on the table into the bowl with them and mix them up. After you're done, please put the bowl into the fridge." he said.

Dean smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, they're good." He replied, going over to the bowl and starting to pour in the ingredients. Once he'd added them all, he stirred it all together. Once it was all mixed, he moved some things around in the fridge until he'd made a spot to put the bowl in.

Castiel had worked around everything. He put the cheese mix aside for later and put a lid over it to cook it back up when they needed it. He left the potatoes aside and making everything else later as he started to work on the turkey. He bought a decent size one and he was washing it out before he set it out on a pan and started seasoning it. He made sure the to get everything and added a generous amount of seasoning, knowing that cooking it will have it taste better. He tied off the sides and put it into the preheated oven and set the timer. He smiled appreciatively, looking back at Dean who was watching him. "Everything should be done in a few hours." he said happily.

"Awesome." Dean replied with a grin, walking over to him. "I'm so glad you're doing the cooking- everything looks amazing already and it's not even done." He said, smiling.

Castiel smiled, stepping into him. He hugged Dean, "Thank you Dean. For helping and complimenting me." He chucked. "I think it's going to turn out great." He said.

A grunt from the doorway was heard and they turned their attention toward it. John was standing there before turning and going back.

Castiel hesitated a second as he stepped away from Dean slightly. "We're not doing anything in here. Is there something you needed, ?" He asked politely.

John was standing at the doorway with his back turned. "Just comin' for some water, but I see you're takin' the space." He said.

Dean stifled the urge to roll his eyes. "Well it's not like we were making the entire thanksgiving dinner." Dean muttered under his breath. "We just finished in here for a while, so we can get out of your way." He said more loudly so that John could hear, not wanting to upset him again but still frustrated with him from earlier.

"It's fine. I'll get it later." John said is reply. Before he left he stopped again. "I was out of line earlier..." He said lowly, cheating his throat before he left.

Dean raised his brows, glancing over at Cas. "That's more than he's ever said before. Sam must've really said something to him." He said. "It's a good a sign though." He added with a smile. "Looks like he really is making an effort."

Castiel smiled, feeling a bit better. He didn't know it was such an improvement. It was a little saddening but it was also good news. "That's really good to hear." He said happily. "I think today is going to better." He said hopeful.

Dean nodded and smiled, Cas's optimism making him hopeful as well. "Yeah, I bet it will be." He stepped closer to Cas again and wrapped his arms around him. "I mean, it's already better than usual just because you're here." He said with a grin.

Castiel hugged Dean again, "I don't know if you're being cheesy or the term, flirting." He chuckled. He smiled, "Though I do enjoy both, mostly since they're coming from you." He replied.

"A little bit of both." Dean replied with a chuckle. "Cheesy flirting, I guess. As long as you're enjoying it, I'm doing it right." He added with a grin, leaning down to kiss him briefly.

"It's because you're using your specialty." Castiel laughed a little, kissing Dean. "I think it's very endearing." He added, squeezing Dean a little.

"Well I guess it's my specialty for a reason." Dean replied with a grin. "I'm supposed to be good at it." He chuckled.

"Yes, you're great at it." Castiel laughed lightly, leaning up to kiss Dean's cheek. "Am I doing really well on my specialty as well?" He smiled. They were just standing in the kitchen, feeling the happy atmosphere again.

"You're doing awesome at your specialty, as always." Dean replied with a chuckle, giving him a slight squeeze. His tensions from earlier evaporated quickly when it was just Cas and him, leaving him happy and relaxed again.

Castiel laughed lightly, kissing Dean. "Good. I like making you happy." He smiled. "We'll finish the dinner soon. Then maybe later, you'll have to feed me ice cream." He told him. "You said you would." He teased.

"I will, I will. While you sit in my lap, right?" Dean added. "So dinner, pie, feed you ice cream. I'm more than happy with all of that." He said with a chuckle, kissing Cas again.

"You would be okay with me sitting in your lap and eating ice cream?" Castiel arched a brow with a smile. "I feel like you like giving into my requests." He chuckled.

Dean arched his brows in feigned surprise. "You think I like doing these things? It's a lot of work, Cas. Petting your hair, singing to you, it's not easy. You're lucky I'm so willing to do them for you." He teased, breaking into a grin as he finished. "You're welcome, by the way." He added with a chuckle.

"You're right. I am so lucky to have you do them for me." Castiel smiled. He looked over at the oven, seeing they still had plenty of time. "What do you think we should do while the turkey cooks?" He asked.

Dean smiled at him and glanced at the oven to see how much time they had. "Hmm, I dunno. I guess we have a little while." He said, looking back at Cas. "I'm game for whatever you want to do."

Castiel perked slightly, "I hear it's custom to watch television on thanksgiving, yet I don't see you guys doing it here? Should we not watch television?" He asked.

"No, we can watch tv. I dunno why no one else is." Dean replied with a shrug, letting go of Cas but catching his hand and walking to the living room. "I bet they'll come watch once they hear it's on." He said, plopping down on the couch and grabbing the remote.

"What is normally on the television during this time? I hear it's a very big thing, that you invite people over to come watch with you." Castiel squeezed Dean's hand. He felt that he was babbling, but he was happy and excited so it just came out more.

"On thanksgiving it's usually football. I don't even know who's playing today, but that's what people watch." Dean replied, flipping through the channels. "We don't have to watch any games if you don't want to." He added, though he wasn't sure what else was on.

"I never really understood the rules of football. I vaguely understood from gym but that's about it. I wasn't that great at the sport anyways." Castiel looked over at Dean. "I know how to throw a football because of you." He smiled.

"You were pretty good for just learning." Dean replied, glancing over at him. "I bet if those guys weren't total dicks to you, you'd have gotten really good at it." He said honestly. "I can explain some of the rules if you want, other than just that they're trying to get touchdowns."

"Do you like football?" Castiel asked. "I only learned really quickly since you taught it as well as not getting mad when I didn't get it right." He said.

"I dunno, I've never been too invested in any teams or anything since I used to move around a lot. It's cool to watch sometimes though." Dean replied. "You don't give yourself credit, though. No matter how good I was at teaching, and I probably wasn't actually that great. It still takes skill to learn like you did." He told Cas.

Castiel scooted closer to Dean, leaning against him. He put their hands into his lap. "We both do really well together. You teaching me and me learning, we both put effort in. We make a good team." He said softly. He wasn't really paying attention to the tv. His attention was always on Dean when they were together.

Dean looked over at Cas and gave his hand a gentle squeeze, the television completely forgotten in front of them. "We do make a good team, don't we?" He replied, smiling softly. "We really learn a lot from each other." He said, thinking of all the things he'd taught Cas and all the things he'd learned and how he'd loved every moment of it.

Castiel nodded, looking over at Dean with a smile. "Yes. We learn many things from each other, that's something that comes from relationships. I enjoy learning and experiencing things from you. It has really changed my life and made it better. I feel bad for my younger self for not knowing what I was missing on life, missing all the things to experience but better late than never." He said. "I cherish our moments. They are very dear to me." He added softly.

Dean smiled, his heart warming at his words, and leaned over to kiss Cas softly. "I do too. You mean the world to me, and it feels like everything has fallen into place since you came in. I don't know what my life would be like if I'd never met you, but I'm definitely glad I'll never find out." He replied sincerely.

Castiel smiled, catching Dean's hand and stroking his thumb across his knuckles. They sat there for a moment before someone said "Oh." Castiel leaned back slightly, looking over at the doorway.

Sam was holding a water bottle and another, "Own little world huh?" he laughed lightly.

Castiel smiled a little, "I'm sorry if you feel uncomfortable." he said.

Sam shrugged, "It's whatever, I don't get to see that jerk, smile like that often so continue whatever it is you're doing for him." he replied.

Castiel chuckled, "I will. Food will be done shortly, so we'll call you down soon." he said.

"Great, thanks. I'm starving anyways." Sam laughed, "Continue on with your love nest or whatever." he said before walking back upstairs.

Dean glanced up as Sam entered, rolling his eyes at his comment about his smile. "You guys talk about me like I'm not even here." He said to Cas, though he didn't mind. He was glad Sam didn't mind, and was more than happy to stay in their "love nest" until dinner was ready.

Castiel looked back over at Dean, "If you would have liked to contribute to the conversation, you're more than welcome to." he replied. He turned back to Dean, "I wonder what we look like to others, now that Sam had repeatedly has said that we look like we're in our own world. What would that look like?" he asked.

Dean thought about it and shrugged. "I don't know. We get pretty absorbed with each other. I didn't even notice he'd come in." He admitted with a chuckle. "We get so caught up with each other that it's like nothing is ever happening around us."

Castiel laughed lightly, hugging Dean. "You're right. I don't really pay much attention to what is around us when you're in the same room as me." he said. He hummed softly in Dean's neck. "Dean? Yesterday when we...when we were experimenting with those things. You said that I should've seen my face. What did I look like to you then?" he asked.

Dean smirked, pulling him in closer. "Well, you're whole face was red from a blush and you looked so innocent. But then you were moaning through that gag and you just looked so..." He trailed off, not thinking of the right word. "I don't know, but it was nice." He murmured.

Castiel squeezed Dean a bit, "Oh..." he said softly. "You enjoyed how I looked so it's fine..." he added. "I feel like when we do those type of activities, it just seems like you only give into me and that you don't get something out of it and I feel bad about it." he explained.

"I do enjoy it, definitely. Don't feel bad, I like doing it and knowing how much you like it." Dean assured him. "But if it would make you feel better, you can definitely try some things on me sometime." He replied with a grin.

Castiel nuzzled against Dean, "I will. I want to see what you look like." he said. "But maybe when things have calmed down." he added. He glanced at the timer over Dean, they still had an hour and a half.

Dean nodded in agreement. "Yeah, once things go back to normal again. So we've still got some time, huh?" He asked, noticing Cas looking back at the timer.

Castiel nodded a little, "30 minutes before we have to cook the rest of the food." he said. He moved his arm slightly and played with the little ends of Dean's hair. He twisted them around his fingers, humming softly.

"Okay." Dean replied, leaning against Cas slightly as he played with his hair. He was excited to try all of the food, but he was also glad they had a few more minutes to relax.

They sat there for a moment, not really saying much. They were enjoying their close contact. Castiel ran his fingers through Dean's hair, feeling content. He stopped after a few moments, "Okay, let's go finish cooking. Then we can do whatever we want later." he said softly.

"Okay. After we eat all the food." Dean replied with a grin, slowly letting go of Cas and standing up. "So what all do you want me to do? I can do more than just cut if you need me to." He said with a smile as they moved back into the kitchen.

Castiel walked into the kitchen, "Hmm, I need to boil water for the potatoes, but if you can make them, please do so. If you need me to instruct you, ask. I would need to make the gravy for it, then putting together the pie." he said. "Are you okay with doing that?" he asked as he set up two pots and turned them on.

Dean nodded. "I think I can manage the potatoes. Just mash and add seasoning and butter or something, right?" He replied as he moved over towards the pot and the potatoes.

"You strain it first, then milk, salt, butter, pepper, and garlic. It doesn't matter the order really, you're going to be mixing it." he said. He was working on the other pot and putting things together. He lightly stirred the sauce, tasting it. He deemed it good enough before walking around Dean to the fridge to get to the pie ingredients. He set them on the counter and brought out the extra dough he put aside. He cut them into strips and layered them out. He got an egg and put it into a bowl and got a brush to put it onto the pie. He brushed the crust and placed the apple batter inside, then layered the dough on top of each other and coated it with egg again. He sprinkled cinnamon over it and looked pretty pleased. He glanced at the timer, he had to take out the turkey soon. He went back to the pot and stirred it again before putting it aside and putting a different pot on it to reheat the cheese.

Dean did as Cas instructed once they were boiled, straining out the water and adding the other ingredients as he mashed and stirred them. He swiped a chunk out with his finger before adding a little more and mixing it up more. He figured he'd have Cas taste it too, but as he turned around to ask he saw the pie and grinned. "That looks awesome." He told Cas reverently.

Castiel turned to look at Dean, "Oh." he said before chuckling. "Quickest way to your heart is pie." he smiled. "I had to make it look the best." he added as he turned back to the pot and stirred it a little before turning it off as well.

Then the oven dinged and he looked happy about his timing. He put on oven mitts and opened the oven. The mixed aromas filled the room and Castiel seemed pleased with the results. He slid it onto the counter with something underneath it and then slid the pie in it's place. He timed it so it should be done by the time they finish eating. "Well we should wait for the turkey to sit a little to soak but it would be fine to eat it now." he said.

Dean looked at the turkey hungrily, more than ready to dig in. "Okay, should call down the others if everything's ready?" He asked as he grabbed forks and knives out of a drawer. He grabbed plates out of the cabinet too, setting them on the counter and grinning at how good it all looked. "Wow. This really feels like thanksgiving." He said happily.

"Really? I'm glad." Castiel smiled, he was putting everything together into bowls to pass around. He mixed in the pasta with the cheese to make mac and cheese, then put the mash potatoes into a bowl and the gravy in small pouring bowl. He had boiled the vegetables and they were set aside in another bowl and he looked pleased on how everything turned out. "I think we did really good. Thank you Dean for helping me." he said gratefully as he set out bread.

"You did all the hard work, so thank you." Dean replied, standing beside him to admire the food. "If it tastes half as good as it all looks, it's going to be amazing." He said. "Everyone's going to love it."

Castiel laughed lightly, "I hope so. That would be really nice if it tastes just as good." he said. "I think we can call everyone down now." he added, looking over at Dean. "I just hope it's not going to be really...awkward or worse." he said.

"Yeah..." Dean replied, frowning slightly. "Well, hopefully they'll be too focused on the food to do anything... You know." He said, pausing slightly. "Well, I'm sure it'll be fine." He said with as much optimism as he could muster before going towards the staircase. "Dinner's ready." He called up before walking back to Cas.

Castiel looked over at Dean before he set everything up accordingly. Sam was the only one to come down the stairs. "I think he's sulking." he said. "He'll come down later probably." he explained on why John wasn't there. He looked at the food, "Wow, you weren't kidding. This looks great! Are you sure you didn't buy these things?" he joked.

Castiel smiled slightly, "No we made it all for you guys. I hope it tastes fine." he said.

"I'm sure it will, it'll probably still be better than what we've had before." Sam shrugged.

Bobby came down not long after, brows raising at the food. "Wow, this looks delicious." He said, walking over to join them.

"Well Cas made most of it, so I'm sure it will be." Dean replied with a grin, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "I did help though, so you're welcome." He added jokingly.

"Thank you both, then." Bobby replied with a chuckle.

Castiel gestured, "You're all welcome to take some." he said. Dean was first to react and then Sam and everyone grabbed a piece of something.

Sam bit into it, "Yep. Definitely a million times better than what we had before." he said happily.

Castiel laughed lightly, setting up a plate. He stared at the empty plate for a little bit before he started putting things on it as well. "I...I'll be back." he said before taking the plate upstairs. He came down after a few minutes without the plate, settling back into the kitchen.

Dean frowned slightly as Cas disappeared, realizing what he'd done when he came back empty handed. He smiled slightly at Cas, thinking that he was being much more forgiving than his dad deserved, for sure. "Everything tastes amazing." He said, deciding not to comment on it at dinner.

Sam didn't comment about it either, "Yeah it does. Thanks for cooking. Both of you." he smiled. "Though I don't see Dean getting his pie." he arched a brow.

"Oh, it's in the oven." Castiel replied, "It should be done by the time we finish eating." he said. He returned the small smile to Dean, sitting down next to him again and slowly picking through the food.

Sam laughed, "Figures, can't have thanksgiving without pie, can we Dean?" he asked.

"You have to have a pie if you want thanksgiving to be any good." Dean replied to Sam with a laugh.

Bobby rolled his eyes and laughed. "Then it's a good thing we have one." He replied.

"And you should've seen it, even before it was baked it looked amazing." Dean grinned, glancing over at Cas.

Castiel laughed lightly, "I'm sure that even if it didn't look nice, you would still say the same thing since it's pie." he glanced at Dean with a smile.

Sam nodded, "Probably but since it's coming from you and thank god you're a good cook, it's going to be great. Plus I'm sure if it did suck, Dean would probably still eat it for you." he teased.

Dean shrugged and grinned. "Probably. Even a really sucky pie is still pretty good." He replied with a laugh.

"As long as you leave some for us, you can enjoy it as much as you want." Bobby said, smiling.

Castiel chuckled, "That would be a lot of pie for him to eat on his own. If he does end up eating all of it, I'm more than happy to make another." he smiled.

They were all basically done eating, still having enough left for later in the day. The oven went off at this point and Castiel laughed lightly again when he looked over at Dean. He got off the chair and put an oven mitt on and pulled the pie out. He set it on a cooler area, pleased on how well it came out.

"Let it cool for a few moments before you try cutting it, or it will break the crust." he said.

Dean grinned, definitely ready to try some. He followed Cas into the kitchen and watched it pull out the pie, running his tongue over his lips. "That smells awesome." He said, not wanting to wait but not making any move to take any. He shifted impatiently, watching the pie and willing it to cool off more quickly.

Castiel looked up at Dean, chuckling at him. Sam took out his phone and snapped a picture of them, he laughed lightly to himself and saved it. He sent it to Kevin and Charlie as thanksgiving greetings. He put his phone away after. Castiel didn't notice Sam taking a picture he was looking at Dean.

"I do not believe if you stare at a pie hard enough, it will cool down faster." he teased.

"It was worth a shot." Dean replied with a laugh. "How long does it have to cool, do you think?" He asked.

"You could be just a little more patient. You're practically drooling on it." Bobby told him, shaking his head and smiling at Sam taking the picture of him.

Sam took a few photos, Dean staring at the pie and Castiel laughing, Castiel looking at Dean. Castiel laughed at what Bobby said, "He's fine." he said, the pie was a little close to being cooled but he decided to let it slide, seeing Dean practically vibrating with anticipation. "You can have a piece now." he said, giving Dean a plate and a knife. He went back to the fridge and got whip cream out and the ice cream. "You guys are welcomed to cutting yourself out some as well." he added, looking at the two.

Sam nodded, "Thanks, we'll just wait for Dean to get his piece." he laughed

Dean practically jumped when Cas said it was good to eat. He took the knife Cas gave him and cut himself a hefty slice, being extremely careful as he transferred it to his plate. "It's pie, not glass." Bobby chuckled as Dean cautiously situated it on his plate.

"But it's amazing pie." Dean replied with a grin.

Castiel laughed at Dean, "You're really adorable." he commented.

Sam chuckled, "More like dorky and lame." he added.

Castiel handed Dean the whip cream can after he shook it. "You're welcome to add ice cream as well." he gestured to the container.

"Hey, I'm not dorky or lame." Dean told Sam with exaggerated offense before smiling as he scooped out a chunk of ice cream. He positioned it perfectly on his slice before taking the whipped cream from Cas and added a nice swirl. "The ultimate pie experience." He said reverently, looking down at it.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Good lord Dean, just eat it before you burst."

Sam laughed, taking another picture of Dean. Castiel saw this time and laughed as well, he gestured a little to Sam and Sam nodded, saying he'll send it to him later. Castiel smiled, nodding his thanks. He looked back at Dean and handed him a fork. "Here, I think you'll need this." he said.

Dean took the fork, too absorbed by the pie to notice Sam taking pictures. "Alright, here we go." He said, slowly moving his fork around to cut off a bite with just the right balance of pie, ice cream, and whipped cream. He grinned over at Cas as he put the forkful in his mouth, eyes closing as he practically moaned at how good it was. "This is actual heaven." He informed them.

Sam snorted from laughing, taking more pictures. Castiel laughed a little, but looked really pleased that Dean loved it a lot. He looked back at the other two, "Do you guys want any?" He asked.

Sam nodded, chuckling still. "Yeah but not right now. I'm enjoying watching Dean having pie sex." He laughed.

"Hey, just wait until you try it. You'll enjoy it just as much." Dean replied, pointing his fork at Sam for the brief moment it didn't have any pie on it. Bobby just shook his head as he watched Dean, chuckling.

Dean turned to Cas. "/This/ is the actual best thing you've ever made." He told him.

"Really? It must be really good pie." Castiel laughed lightly, arching a brow. He smiled, "Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it." He said happily.

Sam finally got up and cut himself a piece putting on some ice cream and whip cream. He cut a piece out and ate it. "Wow. This is...probably the best pie I've eaten." He laughed. "But my reactions is not going to be as much as Dean's." He said.

Castiel chuckled, "That's fine. Thank you." He replied.

"My reaction fits the pie." Dean informed Sam with a grin, mouth still partially full.

"Alright, I need to try some of this incredible pie." Bobby said, going over and cutting himself a slice. "Mm, that really is pretty impressive. Thanks for making it." He said to Cas. Dean nodded in obvious agreement.

"You're welcome. I'm happy to make it." Castiel smiled. He cut out a piece and put it on a plate and put both toppings on top and a fork in the side before walking upstairs. He came back with a different plate and he looked pleased as he put the plate away. "I think this has turned out really well." He said.

Dean glanced over at Sam as Cas disappeared again and looked back at Cas as he came back down again. He smiled slightly and nodded. "Yeah, this was great. The best thanksgiving we've had in a while."

Castiel grinned, "I'm really glad I was a part of it then." He said happily.

"Thanks for cooking Cas." Sam said. "It's really nice to have you here with us." He added.

"It was nice of you to have me." Castiel responded.

"You're welcome any time." Bobby said to him. "It's nice having you around." He added. Dean smiled, glad they were all getting along so well. It really had been a fantastic thanksgiving, despite the rocky start they'd had that morning.

Castiel felt at home, it was really nice to have people around who would want him there and cared about him. Today was a really good day to him, despite something going wrong at first. He went back into the kitchen and started wrapping up the food for later. He put everything else in little containers and just wrapped up the turkey. He set them aside and put a cover over the pie after he made sure everyone was done taking a piece. Sam put the plates into the sink and decided to wash them for Castiel since he cooked. Castiel made room in the fridge for the little containers and put the whip cream away as well as the ice cream. The kitchen was once again clean.

"You're welcome to eat whatever we have left throughout the day and if we need more of something we can just make more." He said.

"Thanks again, it was all really good. I'll definitely be down for more later." Bobby said once everything had been cleaned up.

Dean smiled, walking over to Cas and bumping him with his elbow. "You're like the Santa of thanksgiving." He said with a grin.

Sam dried off his hands, "Well that's a weird way to put it but what he said." He laughed. "Thanks again Cas." He said before going upstairs again.

Castiel looked over at Dean with a smile, "I never really understood the folklore of Santa either, but I appreciate the thought." He said. "You really like that pie, I'm happy that you did." He added.

Bobby followed Sam up and Dean smiled at Cas. "I loved that pie, so I'm glad you're glad I liked it." He responded with a chuckle before sobering up slightly. "So you brought food up to my dad, huh? That was really nice of you." He said sincerely.

"It's thanksgiving. No one should be alone or miss out. It's sad, even if they can do bad, they are still people and can make up for their faults." Castiel replied. "He said it was good, quietly, but he did say it. So I think it was a good idea to involve him even though he didn't want to come down. Sad that he didn't come down to talk, but better than eating alone." He explained.

Dean smiled softly at him and shook his head slightly in wonder. "I'm always amazed at what a genuinely good person you are. It was more than I was going to do for him, and he's my own dad." He said with a slight laugh. "So thanks for being the bigger person."

Castiel smiled, "You invited me over when you thought I was going to be spending it alone, so I merely did what you did and included him. Yes it was a rough start but we had a bad start as well but we turned out fine." He said. "Sam had said he would try, so there's nothing wrong with positive reinforcements. I want things right for you Dean, it's better late than never to fix your problems and if it means doing things for him, then I will help." He glanced up at Dean. "I don't mean to meddle in your problems though, so I hope you aren't mad that I'm trying to wiggle my way into your family's issues." He said softly.

"I think my family's issues sort of dumped themselves in you, you didn't wiggle in the middle." Dean replied with a slight smile. "I wish you didn't have to worry about it, but I'm definitely not mad at you for handling it like you did." He said, looking over at Cas. "If anything, I should thank you."

"My family issues caught you in the middle as well, so it seems like we're just really involved in each other's life." Castiel replied. "But we can talk about this another time can we not?" He smiled a little. "I actually would like ice cream and the thought of you feeding me sounds really pleasant." He chuckled.

Dean smiled and nodded. "Some other time." He agreed, getting a bowl and the ice cream. "Feeding you ice cream sounds a lot better to me anyway and since you did almost everything with dinner, I'm going to at least make you a bowl of ice cream." He said with a grin as he scooped a good amount of the ice cream out. "Where d'you want to eat it?" He asked.

Castiel hummed softly, smiling at Dean. "Anywhere is fine with me, but I don't think I would like to explain why I'm sitting on your lap and you feeding me. I know they know of our relationship but we should spare them of being uncomfortable." He said. "I think we would be fine to eat in your room as long as we don't make a mess." He added. He walked past Dean and took out the whip cream and topped some on it. "I actually have a bit of a sweet tooth as well but not that much." He laughed lightly, putting both away and taking Dean's hand and leading him upstairs. He glanced over at John's door and saw the door closed. He opened Dean's door and walked them inside and waited for Dean to sit down after.

Dean followed him up willingly, walking into his room and crawling into his bed while he carefully held the ice cream. He got situated as opened up his arms for Cas. "Okay, I'm all yours." He said with a grin.

Castiel smiled at Dean, walking in between his arms and settling on him. "I like that thought." He said. He sat sideways this time, making it easier for them. He leaned over to Dean, kissing him softly. "Mine." He laughed lightly.

"I like that thought too." Dean replied with a smile, wrapping his arm with the ice cream around Cas's middle to hold the bowl while he picked up the spoon with the other. He scooped some up and made like he was going to feed it to Cas before moving it around and tasting a little himself. "Gotta make sure it's still good." He teased before he actually held it out for Cas.

Castiel pouted a little at Dean after he teased him, he looked back at the spoon Dean was holding, wondering if he was going to do that again. He glanced over at Dean before he opened his mouth and took the ice cream and whip cream off the spoon. He hummed at the sweet, cold substance. He licked the side of his lip, before looking back at Dean with a small smile.

"Ahh." he laughed slightly

"Is it good?" Dean asked innocently, grinning as he stole another small bite before offering Cas a bigger one with the ice cream and whipped cream. "Okay, I'll stop taking your ice cream." He said with a chuckle.

Castiel laughed a little, "You just enjoy teasing me." he glanced at Dean before taking the bite, he got whip cream on the side of his mouth. He shivered lightly. "Cold." he commented after eating a bigger bite.

Dean tightened his arm around Cas, pulling him closer. "I'll try to keep you warm." He said with a smile. "You've got a little..." He gestured with the spoon to Cas's mouth. "Never mind, I'll get it." He decided with a grin, kissing Cas lightly and getting the whipped cream with his tongue.

Castiel smiled when Dean pulled him closer, looking over at him when he started gesturing. He tilted his head a little and then Dean kissed him, he smiled lightly. "Sweet. You taste sweet." he said, tasting the vanilla in the light kiss. He thought about it for a second, if he didn't eat as proper, would Dean kiss him every time? He hummed lightly, looking over at Dean again.

"I'm always sweet." Dean joked with a grin. Cas had tasted sweet as well, and he liked kissing the cream off his lips. He arched a brow slightly, wondering what Cas was thinking about, as he scooped out another spoonful for him.

Castiel leaned in to take the spoonful but leaned to the side a little so it would come off the side of his mouth. He slowly melted the ice cream in his mouth before he swallowed it. He looked over at Dean again, "Yes, but you taste sweeter with ice cream on your lips." he said.

Dean smiled. "So do you." He replied, leaning over to kiss him again. His tongue traced across his lips a little longer than he needed to in order to get the ice cream off of Cas's lips, but he doubted he minded. He got another spoonful as he pulled back again, smiling.

Castiel blushed lightly, enjoying that Dean really did kiss him again. He smiled at Dean, taking the spoon and taking the ice cream off. It got across the top of his lips as he laughed lightly after he ate it. "I think I would be a messier eater if you were always here to kiss me if I made a mess." he looked over at Dean before kissing him and smearing the ice cream on his lips. He licked the ice cream away after and the ice cream off of him, smiling back at Dean. "You don't mind do you?" he tilted his head to the side a little.

"I don't mind at all." Dean replied with a smile. "In fact, I think you should be a messier eater so I can kiss you every time." He said, licking his lips as he got another spoonful. Instead of letting Cas eat it though, he smeared it across his lower lip. "Oh no, I missed." He said with a grin, kissing him again and sucking slightly on his lip to get the ice cream off.

Castiel chuckled, kissing Dean after he did that. "I think I'm really enjoying this ice cream." he grinned. He kissed Dean again just because he wanted to before Dean scooped another bite for him. "Ah." he opened his mouth so Dean would feed him. He laughed lightly as he did this.

"I am too." Dean replied, enjoying it even more than he thought he would. He laughed as Cas opened his mouth, scooping up another spoonful for him. "Okay baby bird, I've got your ice cream." He chuckled as he fed it to him.

Castiel arched a brow, taking the bite before cupping Dean's face while he was partially laughing at him and kissing him. He deeply kissed Dean, putting the ice cream in his mouth and pulled away slightly after to lick his lips. "Hmm, that would make you the baby bird now wouldn't it?" he smirked.

Dean grinned, swallowing the ice cream and licking his lips. "I guess so. I don't mind though if you're the one feeding me." He said with a laugh, kissing him again just because he wanted to. "This ice cream thing was a really good idea." He murmured with a smile.

"I figured you might enjoy it." Castiel smiled at him. "But it's always nice to hear it." he said. "Plus it's more enjoyable if I get to kiss you." he laughed lightly before picking up the spoon and taking some in his mouth and kissing Dean again. He licked his lips again after, "It tastes sweeter, but that's because you're always sweet." he said.

Dean laughed and shook his head slightly. "You're so cheesy, but I like it coming from you." He replied. He kissed Cas again, tongue tracing across his lip, and smiled. "I can hardly tell there's not any ice cream, you're just so sweet." He said with a grin.

Castiel laughed, "And I'm cheesy huh?" he looked over at Dean. He smiled a bit, "I think we've strayed away from you actually feeding me ice cream." he said. He chuckled a little, "Feed me Dean." he said in an amused tone.

Dean arched a brow slightly but smiled. "Yes sir. Your wish is my command." He replied seriously, breaking into a grin as he scooped another spoonful for him. "We're back on track now." He chuckled as he offered it to him.

Castiel smiled at him, taking the spoonful. He ate this one properly this time, glancing over at Dean. He laughed a little as he swallowed, "You're such a distraction." he teased. "Do you want some ice cream?" he asked, "I can feed you some." he offered.

"But I'm a good distraction." He replied with a smile. "And I'm definitely not gonna say no to being fed ice cream, especially by you." Dean replied with a laugh, offering him the spoon.

Castiel grinned, shifting in his lap. He straddled his legs but scooted back and settled the bowl between them after he took the spoon. He took a bite first before scooping some for Dean. "Ah." He said, holding up the spoon.

Dean rested his hands on either of Cas's legs, smiling as he took a bite. "Ahhh." He said as he opened his mouth for the ice cream, grinning slightly at how ridiculous they probably looked- not that he cared in the least.

Castiel laughed slightly, feeding Dean the ice cream. He kissed Dean on the cheek as he did, feeling happy at how things were between them. He scattered little kisses on the side of Dean's face, smiling against his skin. He spooned out some more ice cream, seeing it was enough for just one more spoonful. He looked back at Dean, "Ah, and close your eyes." he instructed with a chuckle.

Dean smiled as Cas kissed him, swallowing the mouthful of ice cream and chuckling. He looked at Cas with a suspicious curiosity before doing as he'd said and closed his eyes. "Ahh." He said, opening his mouth for him.

Castiel smiled, though Dean couldn't see it. He took the spoonful and fed it to Dean but he kissed him right after he gave it to Dean. He kissed him deeply, tasting the cold substance melting in Dean's mouth. He hummed softly, treading his free hand in Dean's hair before pulling away after a few moments. He licked his lips after, "Yum." he laughed.

Dean smiled against Cas's lips, leaning forward slightly as Cas pulled away. He licked his lips as well, slowly opening his eyes to meet his. "It is pretty good. Probably the best bowl of ice cream ever." He said with a grin.

Castiel smiled, giving Dean a soft kiss before leaning sideways to put the bowl up on his nightstand and out of the way. He settled back in Dean's lap, looking back at him. He laughed a little, not yet scooting in. He was just staring back at Dean with his arms resting on him. He hummed softly before he slid his hands onto Dean's sides. He kissed the side of Dean's face before smirking against his skin and scribbling his fingers across Dean's sides and torso.

Dean smiled softly at the kiss before his face scrunched as he started tickling him. "D-dammit Cas! That's- that's not f-fair!" He laughed, wriggling beneath him as trying to grab at his hands.

Castiel laughed, smiling at Dean. "It's okay. I'm not fair anyways." he teased, moving his hands everywhere on Dean, not letting him have a chance to catch his hands. He wiggled his fingers against his sides and on his tummy before going under his armpits then poking at his neck a little before starting over again.

Dean laughed, squirming underneath him. He leaned back on the bed, trying to get away. "You TRAitor!" He gasped, reaching around his arms to get at Cas's middle and trying to tickle him in turn.

Castiel watched his arms, moving back slightly as he scribbled his fingers on Dean. He scooted away from Dean quickly with a smile and pulled off the pillowcase with ease, he caught one of Dean's hands and the other and tied them as Dean caught his breath and tried to move away. Castiel squeezed his things around him, keeping him there and switching between tying with one hand and ticking with the other. He struggled a little but looked pleased once he got Dean tied. He pushed Dean's arms above him, smirking at him. "Payback." he said simply before he started tickling Dean again.

Dean raised his brows as he realized what Cas was doing, his breath catching slightly. He couldn't struggle properly with Cas tickling him, and once his hands were tied he couldn't do much else other than squirm slightly. "P-pay back... For what?!" He managed as he gasped slightly for air.

Castiel stopped tickling Dean, now just gently tracing his fingers. "Well you tickled me the other day and I told you I would get you back for it." he said. He looked up at Dean with a bright smile, "Did you forget?" he asked. His fingers traced lower until they reached the hem of his shirt, he pushed it upwards and started tracing random things on Dean's tummy. "Plus, it's always nice to tickle you." he laughed.

"I didn't think you'd actually get me back." Dean replied with a chuckle as he got his breath back. He shivered slightly at Cas's soft touch against his bare stomach, situating his tied hands a little more comfortably behind him as he looked up at Cas with a smile. "I thought you'd be too nice for revenge." He teased.

Castiel laughed lightly, glancing up at Dean before back at his fingers tracing across his stomach. "I have to keep you surprised about me, don't I?" he said. "I don't normally take revenge but I think I'll let this one slide." he added. He rested his hand on Dean's arms. He straddled Dean's waist and looked down at him, smiling softly as he traced circles. "Now, if you play along and be good. I'll make it worth your while." he offered. "No moving your hands, you have to keep them above you okay?" he asked.

Dean smiled excitedly, liking the sound of that. "Hands above my head, got it. I'll be good." He replied softly, though even now his reflex was to move his hands down to touch Cas. His tongue flicked across his lips in anticipation as he continued to trace softly against his stomach.

Castiel hummed softly, "Lay more on the bed, hands by the headboard. Just so you'll be more willing to be good and listen." He instructed. He waited for Dean to adjust before straddling him again. He pushed up Dean's shirt more to expose his torso. He had both his hands now so he just moved them across Dean's chest, feeling his skin under his fingertips. "Now, I'm still going to tickle you but you'll be good and we'll play after." he laughed lightly, moving himself onto Dean's thighs so he could see all of Dean's torso. He rest his hands flatly on Dean's stomach, "Okay?" he asked.

Dean shifted where Cas instructed, his fingertips grazing the headboard. "Okay." He replied, knowing this wasn't going to be as easy as he'd originally thought. He took a deep breath, readying himself and nodding. He could do this, he could stay still, and he knew Cas would make it worth his while afterwards.

Castiel smiled at him, holding his sides before leaning down and placing kisses on Dean's tummy then raspberries across it. He lightly scraped his nails on Dean's sides but mostly focused his attention on his tummy. He would blow little raspberries everywhere on him then one directly over his belly button, making sure to hold Dean's sides still. He stopped right after the belly button one for a short breather.

Dean flinched slightly at the first raspberries, breaking into a grin. He fidgeted as Cas continued moving against him, laughing as he scraped his sides. His nails dragged across the headboard as he tried to keep his hands behind him and bent his elbows slightly as he squirmed beneath Cas.

Castiel hummed softly, sitting back before scribbling his fingers more on Dean's sides and stomach. He smiled at Dean, seeing him laugh. He just tickled Dean for a few moments before he stopped, seeing him flushed and panting. He grinned down at Dean, resting his hands flatly on his stomach. "You look really enticing under me like this." He commented. He went back to tracing circles on his stomach.

Dean breathed, glad he hadn't tickled for too long. He could feel the flush across his face and he smiled slightly as he looked up at Cas. "You look pretty good up there like that." He replied as his breathing started to steady again. The way Cas was perched on top of him was definitely enticing, and the feel of his soft fingers tracing across his skin was a nice contrast to the tickling.

"You're doing really good. You must really want me to reward you." Castiel smiled. He leaned down again and started placing kisses on Dean's torso with small bites. He left marks in his ribs and chest, lightly running his fingers up and down.

"I do." Dean replied, bordering on a moan as he watched Cas. He wanted to run his hands along Cas's side, tangle his hand in his hair, do something with his hands. He pulled at the binding to keep himself from moving his hands from behind himself.

Castiel glanced up at him, seeing him pull at the bindings. He smiled a little, going back to kissing his torso. He leaned up and kissed Dean's neck softly. He lightly bit his ear, licking it after. "How much will power are you willing to push before you completely let go?" He asked quietly before sitting back and straddling Dean. He lightly ran his fingers past Dean's nipples. "I wonder if these feel as nice for you as they do for me." He said softly, dragging his nails across them, playing with them.

His words made Dean's breath catch slightly and sent a spike of arousal through him as he started dragging his nails across him. He arched up slightly into the feel, hands clenching around the sheets as he fought to keep them down and behind him. "Yeah, it does." He breathed in answer.

Castiel hummed softly. "Good." He lightly flicked them, pinching and pulling again as he leaned down and kissed up his torso. He looked up at Dean as his breath feathered over the other nipple, he glanced up at Dean before he lightly circled it with his tongue and placing a kiss on it. He lightly bit on it, tugging it gently between his teeth as the other continued teasing him.

Dean let out a soft moan as Cas sucked on his skin, the pleasurable torture making him fidget his legs slightly as he fought to find some sort of movement. His hands still clenched the sheets behind him as his elbows bent further, rising up to almost meet each other above his face.

Castiel switched treatment to the other, before glancing up at Dean's movement. He gave one last kiss to it before he rested his fingers on both of them and leaned up to Dean's jaw and kissed it softly. He kissed along his jaw to behind his ear, where he grazed his teeth against his skin. He licked the rim of Dean's ear, "How much restraint do you have left?" he whispered.

Dean closed his eyes slightly as Cas kissed him, leaning into them slightly since he couldn't move anything else. He longed to pull Cas flush against him, hold him and drag his nails across his skin. Dean swallowed. "Not much." He admitted breathlessly, eyes fluttering open again. "But enough." He added, not wanting Cas to stop.

Castiel glanced at him, kissing his cheek. His fingers touched the shirt that was bundled around Dean's neck and shoulders, he pushed it over Dean's head and settled it around his tied wrists. He leaned down and bit at Dean's collarbone and swiped his tongue across the bit. Dean moved his head to help Cas get his shirt over it and hooked his fingers on it as Cas pushed it up to his hands.

Castiel shifted his legs a bit, putting one leg in between Dean's and just resting it there. He pressed it close to him so he felt the pressure but that was about it. His hands lightly touched across his chest before slowly traveling down his sides. He lightly scraped his nails on Dean's sides as he bit at Dean's collarbone and sucked gently, leaving marks near his shoulder.

Dean shifted slightly as Cas put his leg in between his, desperate to get more pressure or some friction between them. Cas's soft touches and movements were agonizing, and Dean started to raise his hand to pull him in closer before catching himself and dropping his hands back down again.

Castiel saw the slight movement, glancing up at Dean. He rested his hands onto Dean's hips and gripped them, he settled more into him, pushing his knee more against him. He touched Dean's cheek with one hand, not yet kissing Dean since they started. "I'll give you the choice. I can be rough or gentle, but if I'm rough you can't touch me, no movements to urge me on or I'll stop." he looked over Dean's features, licking his lips a little. "If I'm gentle then you can lead me on a little, arching, shifting. Your choice Dean, what do you want?" he asked quietly.

Dean paused slightly, thinking it over quickly. He wasn't exactly sure he would be able to stay completely still, but he definitely wanted to try. He settled back into the mattress and brought his hands completely down again, readying himself. He looked up at Cas and licked his lower lip slightly. "Rough." He replied softly.

A hand immediately went into his hair and pulled it back, bringing his neck out. Castiel bit at his neck but made sure that he didn't leave marks. His other hand lifted Dean's hips slightly as he slid his knee more into him just giving him some friction. That same hand moved from his hip, scraping his nails upwards until the reached one of his nipples and he pinched one and twisted a bit. Castiel lowered himself slightly so his hips were in Dean's but that was it. He pushed against him to increase the fiction. He licked Dean's neck, making his way to his other nipple before he bit down and sucked. He flickered it with his tongue as the other continued. The hand in Dean's hair kept a tight hold, pulling his head back so he couldn't see what Castiel was doing just feeling.

Dean stiffened slightly as Cas suddenly grabbed his hair and pulled his head up, trying to look down but realizing he couldn't. He started to arch up as Cas scratched and sucked at his chest but he managed to stop himself, and he bit at his lip to suppress a moan. He closed his eyes since he couldn't see anyway, focusing on the sensations.

Castiel moved his hands from Dean's chest onto the hem of his pants. He parted his hips from Dean to make it easier. He unbuttoned it and slid his hand in, cupping Dean through his underwear as he palmed him roughly. He moved his treatment from one nipple to the other, teasing Dean. He bit and sucked as he went on. The fingers in his hair were carding through it but they tangled in it occasionally and tugged. Castiel was enjoying the small reactions from Dean, proud that he was doing really well and doing what he was told. He knew that Dean wanted to see him, to touch him more directly but he wasn't going to give into Dean and he wanted Dean to push so he didn't either.

Dean's breathing became more erratic as Cas slipped his hand inside his pants. Every part of him wanted to roll his hips against Cas, arch up against his hands on Dean's chest, run his hands over Cas's skin. He moaned softly and rocked slightly against Cas's hand automatically before he managed to stop himself, clenching and unclenching his hands on the sheets since that was the only movement he was allowed.

Castiel noted the movement, he moved up by Dean's ear again. "Be good Dean or I'll stop." He told him, breathing over his ear. He bit at Dean's ear, licking it and lightly nipping. "You're doing so good." He praised.

The hand in Dean's pants, moved against him, slowly dancing around the hem of his underwear before slipping his hands inside to grip him in his hand. He stroked Dean a few times, thumbing the slit and the precome. Castiel rested slightly on Dean's neck, just breathing as his hand tightened around Dean and stroked him, twisting his wrist near the top. He kissed Dean's jaw as he did that, lightly petting his hair.

Dean nodded slightly when Cas told him to be good, determined not to move again. That was easier thought than done though, as he immediately realized as Cas grasped him. He curled his toes into the bedding, desperately fighting the urge to move against him. His arms were stretched out and his hands pressed against the headboard, nails scraping against it in search of something to hold on to.

Castiel hummed softly, moving his hand from Dean's hair to his tied hands and just resting it there as he stroked Dean a bit faster. He stopped for a moment to push Dean's pants down just as little bit more so he could touch him easily. He went back to what he was doing, alternating between fast strokes and a loose grip and rough strokes but slow movement. He just rested his head near Dean's neck, placing kisses there. "You're doing so good Dean. I'm so proud of you for holding out." He said quietly.

Dean curled his fingers slightly around Cas's hand as he moved it up. He was breathing heavily, barely registering Cas's praise as the pleasure erupted from his hands' movements. It was becoming harder and harder to focus on not moving and his legs fidgeted slightly underneath Cas.

Castiel hummed softly, he moved his legs from Dean's sides and sat off the side of Dean. He moved Dean's tied hands down a little so he could keep hold of them more easily as he adjusted. He looked down at Dean, feeling hot spikes of pleasure shoot through him. He continued stroking Dean but he was watching his facial expressions. The flush that dusted his cheeks, the light sweat, his heavy breathing and just the small body reactions he was trying so hard to resist. Castiel swallowed at the sight, moving his hands to the base of Dean's cock and squeezing. He figured it was enough of torturing Dean. He shifted slightly to the side before he quickly swapped his hand for his mouth, taking Dean down quite quickly. He kept his hand over Dean's and the other on his thigh to keep leverage as he swallowed. He bobbed his head a little, but mostly stayed near the base.

Dean gasped slightly as Cas suddenly took him in his mouth, his hips tensing slightly as Cas swallowed him in an effort to not buck against his mouth. His eyes fluttered open and he glanced down at Cas, a moan escaping his lips at the sight of him and the spikes of pleasure shooting through him as Cas moved.

Castiel glanced sideways at Dean, humming around him. He slowly pulled off and kissed the head, swirling his tongue around him before he licked the slit and took him back down to the base and swallowed. The hand on his thigh was rubbing up and down just touching.

Dean bit his lip harshly, muffling another moan. He could feel the warm tension building in him quickly and knew he wasn't going to last much longer. "Shit, Cas," he groaned as he tilted his head back against the mattress and clutched at the sheets again.

Castiel moved his hand from Dean's thigh into Dean's pants, between his legs to lightly massage his balls while he bobbed a lot faster. He hummed around him, pulling almost completely off before swallowing him back down completely and sucking roughly.

Dean stifled another moan as Cas moved his hand against him and then the rough sucking completely finished him. His elbows bent and his hands clutched at his own hair as the hot pleasure washed over him, more intense after Cas's treatment. His teeth dug into his lower lip to keep from calling out, knowing that if he didn't, it would be loud.

Castiel swallowed continuously, making sure not to make a mess this time. He kept his mouth around Dean for a few more moments, making sure that was completely done before he slowly pulled off. He fixed Dean's pants after and sat next to him. He undid the tying on Dean, letting him calm down after. He watched him for a moment, noticing his lips. He lightly touched Dean's lips with his fingers after, "You really bit your lips." He said softly.

Dean slowly began breathing more evenly, glancing over at Cas as he came up next to him. He licked his lips after Cad mentioned them, smiling slightly. "Well, it kept me quiet and I hardly felt it at the time." He said with a chuckle. He'd definitely been more distracted with other things to notice how much he'd been biting them.

Castiel hummed softly, fixing Dean's shirt. He looked at Dean before pulling his head into his lap and stroking his hair. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to bite your lips so roughly." He said. He lifted Dean up slightly and kissed his red lips. He gently licked them, feeling the bites on them. He slowly pulled away, looking back at Dean as he set him back in his lap. "Did you enjoy that?" He asked.

"Yeah, I liked it." Dean replied, watching him lazily before sitting up slightly as he moved him. He ran his hand through his mussed hair, calming down slowly. It had been exhausting, but definitely worth a few bites on his lip. "I liked it a lot." He added with a smile, looking over at him.

Castiel ran a hand through his hair, smiling softly. "That's good that you did. I wasn't sure if I was pushing you too much." He said. He was looking down at Dean, seeing him all relaxed and happy. It made him happy. He still saw the light flush across his cheeks, "I know what you mean when you say I look nice. I really enjoyed how you looked when I did that. It was very...arousing." He added.

Dean chuckled, knowing exactly what he meant about enjoying how he looked. Though he would've been perfectly content to just lay down for a while, he suddenly remembered that Cas was probably getting uncomfortable."Speaking of being aroused, you want some help with that?" He asked with a slight grin, raising a brow questioningly.

Castiel was stroking Dean's hair lazily when he asked about helping him. "I don't mind if you do or don't. I'm okay with us like this." He replied. "I think it's been mostly about me lately." He chuckled lightly. "I just wanted you to feel good for once, after my revenge of course." He added.

Dean smiled, enjoying the feel of Cas stroking his hair and letting his eyes close to enjoy it. "It's not all about you. I mean, we've done stuff especially for you, but I like when you feel good. So it evens out." He replied, opening his eyes again to look at him lazily. If Cas really didn't mind, he was perfectly content to just stay how they were, but he was also willing to move for him.

Castiel smiled at Dean, lifting him slightly to kiss him again. "I'm fine. We can just stay like this. I don't really pay much attention to it anyway so I don't really notice." He chuckled a little. He was gently touching Dean's hair, "You know, your hair is a lot longer now. Are you going to get it cut again?" He asked.

Dean smiled at the kiss before settling back on to Cas, loving the feel of his hand through his hair. "I dunno, I haven't really thought about it. I guess I will eventually. Why, do you like it better longer?" He asked.

Castiel hummed, looking at Dean's hair between his fingers before back at Dean. "I enjoy you with either hair, that's more of your choice but with you having longer hair I can play with it between my fingers or pull it, like you tend to enjoy when we have intercourse." he said. "There's more to hold onto but you having short hair has this soft fuzzy feeling and it's also nice to touch." he added. "I'll still like you for any appearance. You're still going to be the same despite the different hair." he smiled.

"Hm. I'll probably get it cut before it gets too much longer, but not as short. I like when you have something to hold on to." Dean replied with a grin, glancing up at him. "But I'm glad you'll still like me if I get a haircut." He added jokingly.

Castiel laughed lightly, "No, I'll hate you if you got your hair cut 1 millimeter shorter than it is now." he said sarcastically. "I'll like you however you change your hair or anything else." he smiled. He brushed Dean's hair back softly, "Today turned out really well. I'm happy." he told him.

Dean chuckled and smiled. "Yeah, it really did. Better than I expected, honestly. But like I said, even if everything had gone wrong, just having you here would've made it pretty awesome." He replied sincerely.

"You're very adorable when you say such endearing things. You're adorable all the time actually, I just really enjoy it when you say cheesy things." Castiel smiled at Dean."I believe there was one more thing on the requests I have asked you." he said. "I think you should pay me in kisses."

Dean grinned and looked up at him, leaning over to kiss him lightly. "Pay you in kisses huh?" He repeated, kissing him again on the lips before moving so he could kiss his cheek. "How many kisses should I pay you?" He asked, leaving a trail of kisses across his nose and eyelids.

Castiel giggled at his kisses, "How many do you want to give me?" he asked. He felt happiness bubbling in him, loving the affection Dean was giving him. He changed his position a little, laying down slightly to not put so much of a strain on Dean to kiss him. He felt a blush dust across his cheeks, smiling at the little kisses.

Dean grinned as Cas shifted, making it easier for him to reach. "Well," he said in between the line of kisses he was slowly leaving down his nose. "If I'm going to pay you back for that pie," he continued, pausing occasionally to continue the kisses, "We're gonna be here for a long time." He finished with a grin, kissing along his jaw now.

Castiel laughed a little at his kisses, wrinkling his nose slightly. He licked his lips a little, smiling. "It's okay. We have all night." he said happily. "Well until dinner." he added. He tilted his head to let Dean kiss him more easily, putting his arms around Dean loosely.

Dean smiled, pulling his arms around Cas as well. "So you want me to keep kissing you until dinner?" He asked with a laugh, kissing his cheek. "Well, I'm okay with that." He added with a grin, kissing just beside his lips and then below them.

Castiel smiled, "Well that is a lot of kisses." he said. He felt Dean kiss close to his lips but not yet kiss them and he just went around them, he laughed. "Just kiss me already." he said before Dean actually kissed him. He tightened his arms, bringing Dean closer.

Dean smiled against his lips as he kissed Cas. "So bossy." He murmured with a chuckle for the brief moment he broke the kiss. He pulled Cas closer and brought their lips together again with a smile, running his hand up his back to rest against his neck.

Castiel laughed a little, "You like it." He mumbled, tangling his fingers in Dean's hair. He kissed him with a bit more pressure, always loving any kiss he got from Dean. He carded his fingers through Dean's hair as he licked his lower lip.

Dean grinned against his mouth, brushing against the nape of Cas's neck with his thumb. His other hand moved to rest against his hip and he traced his teeth with his tongue. He wondered if he would ever get used to how Cas tasted or the feeling of warmth that spread across his chest when he felt a wash of something like affection towards him. He pressed up against Cas more, doubting he could ever get used to someone as incredible as him.

Castiel smiled before pulling Dean on top of him. He made a small sound between their lips but he was still perfectly happy. He brought Dean closer, leaning up to keep the kiss going. He felt his heart squeeze and flutter, that feeling of being on air. He understood why books always described the feeling as a flip of the stomach, the sweating in your palms. He understood all of it and it made him happy that he knew. It was because of Dean.

Dean hummed slightly into his mouth, leaning down so Cas could lay back against the sheets. One hand held himself up and the other rose to cradle his face, stroking Cas's jaw lightly. He enjoyed just feeling his skin and lips, not looking for anything more than savoring the feel of Cas against him.

Castiel leaned against the touch slightly, enjoying the pressure of Dean's body on his. It was comforting. He liked being covered by Dean, encased. It was safe and warm. He felt at home, like this was the place he was supposed to be and he never wanted to change that. Their kiss was passionate and intimate, not having the edge of hurriedness or lust. Just affection.

Dean leaned against Cas slightly, just enough to press against him a little but not fully laying on him. He felt completely at ease and just generally happier than he'd ever been before. He wanted to keep the sensation or ever.

Castiel stroked Dean's hair, moving his lips against his. He felt his lips tug up into a small smile as he kissed Dean, wanting to say every little affection he felt to Dean but he would never stop. He just pulled Dean closer, saying it was okay to lay more on him, just expressing himself through his body. He was willing to let Dean lay on him because he was there to hold him up and he liked the feeling.

Dean let himself weigh down on Cas more, glad he could be as close as possible. He grinned suddenly, realizing they were both smiling, which was actually making the kissing slightly more difficult, but he couldn't have cared less. Knowing that Cas was happy only made him happier, and thinking that he may be enjoying this even half as much as Dean was made him ecstatic.

Castiel smiled a bit more once he realized Dean was too, a huff of laughter was passed between their lips before he leaned up at kissed Dean's smile. He was still laughing a little but he kept kissing repeatedly, just focusing completely on Dean. His sole focus on him and that's where he wanted it.

Dean chuckled against him as well, thinking they probably looked like lovesick idiots the way they were kissing and laughing together but enjoying it even more for it. He broke off for a moment as he started laughing more at the ridiculousness of it, leaning down to kiss his nose. "This is just weird." He grinned, moving back to kiss him again.

Castiel laughed against his lips, opening his eyes to look back at Dean with a smile. "Yeah? Then why are you still kissing me?" he teased, kissing Dean again before he replied. The room was filled with their small laughing between each kiss, too involved with each other to care. They had each other in their arms and that's all that mattered, their own little world.

"Because you taste too sweet to stop." Dean replied with a grin between kisses. "And even if we probably look like morons, I don't care as long as it's both of us." He added, kissing him again. "That was really cheesy." He murmured against Cas, still smiling.

Castiel laughed a bit, kissing Dean again between his laughter. "Sounds like you have an addiction." he said to the first part. "And I always love it when you say cheesy things. It makes me happy. Happier." he corrected. He looked up at Dean with a smile before kissing his cheeks, forehead and any place he could reach. "You think you've paid me enough kisses yet?" he asked, looking at Dean with a grin.

Dean grinned as Cas kissed him. "I dunno, that was some pretty good pie." He replied, catching Cas's lips with his own for a slow, soft kiss before gently pulling away. "There. What d'you think, worth it?" He asked with a smile.

"Always worth it." Castiel smiled back at him. He found Dean's free hand and laced his fingers through it before looking back at him. "Well, now I know if I ever want all those kisses what I'll be making you." he teased, laughing a little. "I always enjoy your kisses, of any sort." he said.

Dean smiled, giving his hand a slight squeeze. "Then maybe I should kiss you more often, cause I like them too." He replied, giving him another kiss to demonstrate. "And you don't even have to make pie to get them, normally." He added with a laugh.

"Hmmm, that's true... I don't, but if I want a lot of kisses like we just did, I think making you a surprise pie would be the best way to do it." Castiel replied. "Or a way to urge you into intercourse." he laughed. "That would be a really good way as well." he smiled.

Dean laughed and nodded. "That's true, a surprise pie would have me doing pretty much anything you wanted." He replied with a grin, resting his chin on Cas's chest. "Or you can just make a pie from the goodness of your heart." He added jokingly.

Castiel laughed a little, tangling his fingers back in Dean's hair, humming. "I could, but where is the fun in that?" he asked. "You don't want to give me kisses?" he asked. "I'll keep the idea of making you pie in mind." he smiled.

Dean looked up at him and shook his head. "No, giving you kisses is such a hassle." He informed Cas, trying not to smile. "Cause once I start, I don't want to stop but I always have to at some point. It's almost not even worth it." He explained before leaning up to kiss him again. "Almost." He added with a grin.

Castiel laughed lightly, cupping Dean's face and kissing him. "I enjoy hassling you then." He said brightly. He looked up at Dean, "Give me one more kiss. One more." He smiled. "Maybe more like 5." He added quietly.

"Hm, one or five?" Dean repeated with a chuckle. He kissed Cas's cheek, nose, and other cheek before kissing both of his eyelids. He then moved down to kiss his lips softly and pulled away with a grin. "Oh, was that more than 5? I lost count." He asked innocently, smiling.

Castiel smiled at him, "I wasn't counting." He said. He pulled Dean on top of him again, hugging him. He breathed happily, "I really like you." He told him, nuzzling into him. "That was really nice." He commented.

"I like you too. A lot." Dean added with a smile, wondering how much of an understatement that was. "And I liked doing all those things for you. It was nice." He agreed, huddling in against him.

Castiel smiled, "Do you think we'll have to go downstairs for dinner soon?" He asked. He slid his fingers back in Dean's hair. "Do you think we should watch movies together? Actually. I'm not even sure we would even watch the movie if we were together." He chuckled. He stroked Dean's hair as he thought. "I guess we can spend the night like we have. Cuddling." He offered with a smile.

Dean laughed. "No, I don't think we'd pay much attention to the movie. We didn't pay any attention to football earlier, but I didn't mind." He said, settling against him and grinning. "We can eat if you want. I like the idea of just spending the night like we have been."

There was a light knocking on Dean's door. "Dean?" Sam called. "Are you guys decent?" He asked first.

Castiel laughed a little, "Yes we are, just hugging." He said.

Sam didn't make movements to open the door though, "...Do you know where dad went?" He asked. "His door is open but no one is there." He said.

Dean frowned, glancing at Cas before rolling off of him and standing up. "He's just gone?" He asked as he opened the door. "I didn't know he'd left." He answered to Sam's question, not liking the feel of this.

"Oh. Do you think he left?" Sam asked. He sighed, "I don't know how I should feel about that. I mean, he said he would try but he left and everything will go back to normal... but... I don't know." He said. "Or it could be worse and he's out drinking and he's planning to come back drunk." Sam pressed his lips together, looking at Dean seriously. "Do you think we should go looking for him?" He asked. Castiel sat up on the bed, listening.

Dean glanced at Cas quickly and sighed, running his hand through his hair as he thought. He doubted their dad would have just left after not even a day, and it would be much more likely that he was in some bar somewhere or something along those lines. "Maybe we should." He said to Sam, frowning. "We can try to find him before he gets too drunk." He sighed again.

"Well there's a lot of bars around here Dean. He could be anywhere or somewhere, holed up with a pack or more." Sam sighed. "We better start looking before it really gets dark out." He said, moving from the doorway to let Dean through.

Castiel stood up and walked over to them, "Can I be of assistance? I can help you look for him. More eyes and ground to cover." He said.

Dean glanced at Sam and then Cas, debating on whether he wanted Cas to come or not. They could definitely use the help, but he didn't really want Cas to have to see that. "I dunno Cas, it might not be exactly pretty when we find him." He told him.

"I didn't expect it to be, but the quicker we find him, the less of a problem it will be correct?" Castiel replied.

"I think Cas is right. If we check more areas quickly then there's less of a chance for him to get too drunk and make the problem worse. You guys should grab your jackets, it's kind of cold out." Sam said before he jogged downstairs, ready to go already before something happened.

Castiel went back into the room and grabbed Dean a jacket and one for himself as well and handed Dean's to him. He slipped his jacket on and zipped it up. "Let's go Dean." he said, waiting for Dean first. He knew that Dean didn't want him to go, because he was worried of a few things but he would be okay. Things have been worse for him so he could handle that. "We better hurry before it gets really dark out." he added.

Dean wanted to protest again, but he knew they were right. It'd be faster, and as much as he didn't want Cas to have to deal with this, he knew he wanted to help. "Yeah, okay, let's go." He replied, glancing at Cas as he slipped on his jacket and led the way downstairs, grabbing the keys to the impala on his way out the door. With any luck, their dad hadn't had too much to drink and might even be willing to let them take him home.

Sam was already waiting, figuring to take the backseat. Castiel took the front seat and buckled in. They were off to drive more into town where all the bars and liquor stores were. "What do you think he'll be wearing?" Castiel asked, looking at the people as they drove by to see if they would catch a glimpse of him.

"Probably what he wore when he came. Dark brown leather jacket and jeans." Sam replied, looking out the opposite window to see too. "Just park the car somewhere and we could split up to look for him." Sam offered.

"Would we even be allowed in bars?" Castiel asked.

"Yeah, as long as you're not ordering liquor." Sam replied.

Dean nodded, getting up out of the car and glancing around. "Okay, so we'll split up inside to look for him and meet back out here in a couple of minutes. Alright?" He said, glancing back at them as they walked up to the bar. He took a breath before pushing open the door, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dim light and immediately looking around for any sign of John.

Castiel and Sam took other ways around it see if he was there. They soon came back to meet up with Dean, there was no sign of their dad. They went to another bar after another and they would always come up empty. They ran out of bars to check and they were frustrated.

"Where the hell could he be?!" Sam sighed. It was getting dark out and they still had no idea where he was. Sam sighed, "Okay, I know there's local places around that you could just sit at, maybe he's didn't want to go to a bar or something. Maybe we should check around those places." he offered. "I'll check around this area, Dean can drive the impala around and Cas, check out these stores and places." He said as he told him places he should go.

Castiel nodded as they both got out of the car. He looked back at Dean, "We'll meet up soon." he said.

Sam took out his phone and check the time, "We'll meet back in an hour, everyone have their phones?" he asked. Castiel took out his phone and nodded before he pocketed it.

"Alright, I'm heading off first." Sam said, before he jogged off to the nearest park area.

Dean checked his phone and watched Sam jog off before glancing over at Cas and smiling slightly. "Well, I guess I'll see you an hour. Thanks for helping us out, by the way. See you in an hour." He added before climbing back into the impala to drive around where Sam had suggested, hoping he'd be the one to find him instead of Cas or Sam.

Castiel nodded a little, waving to him before he jogged off to go find John. In the end, Dean was the one to spot John, he was just sitting on a secluded bench, staring off. He didn't have bottles or cans near him. He was just staring off into nothing.

Dean slowed the car, squinting into the diminishing light to be sure it was in fact his dad. When he was sure, he pulled the impala off to the side and parked, getting out and walking over to him. "Dad?" He called as he came up beside him, glancing around and trying to figure out what he was doing.

John didn't turn or make any movements. He just sat quietly, staring off. After a few moments of nothing he spoke up, "You're driving, you fixed up the impala." he said casually, not looking at Dean yet. "She sounds good." he added. It didn't seem like he was drunk, but it was odd to see a person just sitting there, not doing anything.

Dean stood beside him, brow furrowing as he glanced over at John. "Uh, yeah, thanks." He replied, still incredibly confused. "Took a while, but she's worth it." He continued, not sure where his dad was going with this.

John nodded a little, "So you're really dating that Castiel boy huh?" he asked next. "...He's a good kid." he said. Dean tensed slightly when he mentioned Castiel before relaxing again when he said he was a good kid.

John wasn't all too sure what he really wanted to say to Dean and the small talk wasn't really what he did. "I'm leaving tomorrow. I'm going to get out of your hair. I seem to be just makin' trouble." he explained after working the muster to say this. "I'll take Sam's advice and sober up, get my life together. But you guys don't need me. Hell, you're better off without me. You know, for a while, while I was gone, I found someone else. Mother and her son. Younger than both of you boys. I think I might be headin' back. Make a second chance worth it." he said gruffly. He looked over at Dean finally, eyes reflecting guilt, regret, pain, and remorse. "All these years, you put up with my bullshit and you never once put it back in my face. I shouldn't have even put it on you. After...After your mother died, I kind of just fell off and took it out on you. You takin' care of Sam when it should have been me." he looked away, down at his hands clasped between his legs. "You'll be fine, I'm sure you're happier now. I heard you and Castiel in the kitchen. I haven't seen you smile like that since your mom was alive or laugh that happy... He must be something to you...looked a lot like how I used to look at your mother." he added quietly. He sat there for a moment before he cleared his throat, "Just thought I warn ya. I'm going to be going." he finished.

Dean listened to him completely, letting his dad finish before making a comment. He hadn't known about the other woman and kid and he felt a slight pang of jealousy for the life the kid would get that he had never had. He didn't mention that though, instead focused on the good parts of what John had said, the apology. "Cas does make me happy." He replied quietly, though he knew it was obviously more than just that. "We'll all be okay. Good luck getting everything together, sobering up. Hope you're happy with her." He said, the guilt and remorse in his dad's eyes more than enough to make Dean forgive him. He knew he hadn't meant for things to go the way they did, and for once Dean didn't blame him for it. "And you know, you can always come visit whenever." He offered, though he highly doubted he would.

John made a gruff sound, "Noted." he said. They both knew that he wouldn't be coming back that often but who knows. He stood back up, looking over at Dean. "I'm just going to go walk. Don't have to come searchin' for me." he told him. "I know how to get back." he added. "Don't worry bout me drinking either. I left my wallet back at Bobby's." he said. "Be back in an hour or so." he walked by Dean, stopping and hesitantly patted him on the shoulder before putting his hands in his pockets and walking down the trail or the park.

Dean just nodded in reply, watching him walk. He let out a breath, fogging the air, before turning and walking back to the impala. He pulled out his phone, figuring he should let the others know that he'd found John and they could go home now. He figured he'd call Sam first, since he was his dad too. He let him know that John was fine and would be home in an hour, deciding he'd talk about his plans face to face. He called Cas next, waiting for him to pick up while he drove back to where they were supposed to meet.

Sam and Dean exchanged a few short words, before they hung up. Sam had made it to the spot waiting for Dean and Cas. Only when Dean showed up, Cas was nowhere to be seen and he didn't answer his phone. Sam looked at the impala, figuring maybe Dean had picked up Cas on the way, but there was no one in the front seat. He walked up to the car, "Where's Cas?" he asked.

Dean frowned, looking around outside and back at Sam. "I thought he was here. He didn't answer his phone." He said, a pit of dread settling in his stomach. "Damn it, Cas, where are you?" He murmured, his worry apparent on his face. "We have to find him. Now."

Sam nodded, "Are going to go together or split up?" he asked, worried too. It was getting late and it was thanksgiving, there were going to be lot of drunks around. People are going to be reckless and it wasn't safe. Dean and Sam both knew this and that just made them more worried. "Well we can start checking by every place I told him. He's probably going down the stores I listed in that order." he said quickly.

Dean thought for a moment. He wanted to split up to make it easier to find him, but he didn't want to send Sam of alone. Then again, Sam was a giant and could pretty well fend for himself. "Alright, let's split up. Call me if anything happens of you see anything, okay? I'll call you in like half an hour to check on you." He said. "I'll start with the farther stores since you're walking." He added. He hated the feeling in his gut, only getting worse as he started to drive to the places Cas was supposed to check.

After Castiel left Dean and Sam to go search around for John, he would always come up empty. He didn't give up hope and optimism, he continued searching, following the stores that Sam had told him to. He mentally crossed them off as he check around, as he was walking down around the corner, he bumped into a group of people. "Oh excuse me." he apologized. He looked up to see a group of older teenage boys.

The one he bumped into had orange hair, bigger built than he was. "Eh? Watch where you're goin'." he slurred a bit, pushing Castiel aside. Castiel mumbled a quick sorry before he turned on his heel to continue walking.

"Oh. You're the guy from earlier." someone spoke up, not sounding so much intoxicated. Castiel glanced over at the voice, it was the cashier from this morning. He nodded a little, wanting to move along as quickly as possible.

"He's the guy you wanted to invite?" A different guy spoke up, tall and lanky with black hair. "Didn' ya say he had a boyfriend that he was spendin' it with?" he asked.

The cashier nodded, "Yeah." he said plainly.

Another guy spoke up, he was a bit shorter than the group but still taller than Castiel. He had buzzed cut hair. "Then how come he's alone?" he asked. "Where's your boyfriend pretty boy?" he caught Castiel, stopping him from leaving.

Castiel gulped, not looking up. "I'm...I'm meeting up with him." he said quietly.

The one with black hair arched a brow, stumbling slightly. "No need to lie. Come hang out with us. We're fun." he laughed.

The one with orange hair looked at Castiel, "He's kind of lean for a boy huh?" he commented. The guy with the buzz cut caught Castiel's face, pulling it upwards. Castiel's eyes shifted, from all of them, feeling scared. The cashier locked eyes with him slightly before looking away, standing away from the other three.

The guy who was holding Castiel licked his lips a little, "I would love to fuck those pretty blue eyes. See them when he's taking me." he said lowly.

"You're fucking gross, dude." the black haired one laughed. "I would let him suck my dick. I'm not into guys like that." he said.

The orange haired one shrugged, "Whatever man, I don't even care. I like them feisty, but he's not really that." Castiel shuddered, feeling sick to his stomach. He needed to get out.

"So how about you come play with us hmm? We'll be reaaal nice." the buzzed hair guy coaxed, leaning over and brushing his lips against his ear.

Castiel took what Dean taught him and aimed for the soft spots, he grabbed the guy's shoulders and slammed his knee into his stomach, quickly moving out of the way of the guy to run. The other guys quickly saw him and ran after him. The cashier's eyes widened slightly, he didn't know what his friends were thinking but he didn't like where this was going so he ran after them as well. The buzzed hair guy hacked, clutching his stomach, regaining his footing before running after them. Castiel ran as fast as he could, but he didn't know where to go. He was just near the roads and there were barely anything out there. His eyes shifted and he saw an alleyway and he started running down it. He didn't really know his way around the city that well, mostly in these parts. He ran into a dead end, only to be cornered again by the other two guys who were breathing roughly.

The orange haired one shoved Castiel against the wall, pinning his arms this time and putting a leg between his, lifting him up slightly so his legs were just barely on the ground. Castiel flailed, trying really hard to get free. The orange haired one pressed against him, breathing against his ear. "I love a good chase, maybe you might be worth it." he said lowly, licking his ear.

Castiel shut his eyes, feeling the need to throw up, he was still struggling but his efforts were fruitless. "DEAN! DEAN! HELP ME DEAN!" He cried out, hoping desperately that Dean would come save him.

The one with dark hair put a hand over his mouth, "No calling, this boyfriend of yours." he said.

The cashier guy was not long after them, looking over at them. "Hey guys. Let's just go. Leave him alone." he said, walking over to them. Castiel's eyes looked fearful, looking over at him with wide eyes.

The other two guys looked over at the cashier. "Didn' you want to invite him earlier? Shouldn' it be you who'd be doin' these things to him?" the guy with dark hair asked.

"I asked him earlier because, yeah, I'm attracted to him, but I seriously thought he was going to spend it alone! Now let him go!" he yanked the guy with dark hair shoulders back but someone hit the cashier in the face after, making him stumble away. Castiel gulped, looking at who hit the one person who could be his last hope.

It was the guy with the buzz cut hair. "Yeah, you're not ruinin' this for us. I have a bone to pick with him." he glared over at Castiel. Castiel started yelling through the hand that covered his mouth, they were all muffled versions of Dean's name and help.

The cashier caught himself, wiping his face and looking back at the buzzed hair cut guy. "C'mon. This is ridiculous. Just let him go, he's not doing anything. We can just go crash some other bar." he offered.

The buzz hair guy scoffed, "Whatever man, you can join us or get lost." he said.

"You guys are fucking assholes! I'm going to call the cops!" The cashier took out his phone and started dialing 911, the guy with the buzz hair picked up whatever he could find and hit him upside the head. It was a wood plank. "You fucker, if you call. We'll all get in trouble." he seethed.

The cashier fell unconscious, his head bleeding just slightly on the side. "Dude, you fuckin' killed him!" The black haired one exclaimed.

The buzz hair cut guy dropped the plank and walked over to the cashier, checking his pulse. "No he's just knocked out." he replied. Castiel was really quiet, he was frozen with fear. These guys were going to kill him. He was petrified and he had no idea where Dean was.

His phone started to ring and the guy with orange hair heard it vibrate, "Must be his boyfriend. Too bad you won't be seeing him." he said.

The one with the buzzed hair looked at them, "Anyone have something to gag him or tie him up?" he asked.

"We should use his jacket to tie his arms and I'm sure we can gag him with something..." the guy with dark hair smirked a little. The guy his dark hair started unbuttoning his pants, pushing them down just slightly. Castiel wanted to throw up, he couldn't believe this was happening again.

The guy with the orange hair loosened his grip a little but hit Castiel in the stomach before that so he wouldn't do anything. Castiel coughed through the dark haired guy's hand, before his head was pushed down and onto the dark haired guy's cock. The guy groaned a bit, pushing back to the back of his throat. "Dude, that feels so good."

Castiel was coughing around him, wanting to just disappear and all this to be a horrible dream. The guy gripped his head, keeping him there. He started pulling Castiel's head back and forth on him. Castiel wanted to bite down but the stretch really hurt his mouth and he couldn't do anything. The orange haired one was holding onto Castiel's arms behind his back before he reached around him and unzipped his jacket and pulled it down. He tied Castiel's arms and started unbuttoning Castiel's pants. Castiel started kicking his legs around but once they shoved down his pants and it pooled around his legs, they stepped on it so he couldn't move them as freely. Castiel couldn't believe it, he was really going to get raped and no one was going to save him. No one to hear his cries. He wouldn't even know if Dean will find him. What if they killed him after? What will happen to him? All these dreadful questions ran through his head before he felt someone slide a hand up his shirt, he arched away from the touch, not wanting them to touch him at all.

The buzzed hair guy breathed over his ear, "We can still make this really nice for you. Make you enjoy it." he said, touching his nipples.

Castiel squeezed his eyes shut, he hated it. He hated the feeling of someone touching him other than Dean. He hated that his body was responding no matter how much he hated it. He wanted to get rid of the feeling. The black haired one was too concentrated on face fucking Castiel, lazily.

The one with orange hair, reached around in between Castiel's legs. "Hmm? You sure you don't want this? M' sure your body would beg to differ." he commented as he stroked Castiel roughly. Castiel shuddered, he couldn't cry. He was still in shock and fear that he didn't tear up. "You want it don't you? You like the thought of us fuckin' you huh?" the buzzed hair guy whispered to him.

Castiel wanted to scream and deny everything but he was useless. The orange hair guys parted his legs a little, touching his entrance. Castiel lurched forward, wanting them away from him. He would prefer moving more onto the guy in front of him than having someone touch him there.

The guys paid no mind to it, The orange guy parted it, "Don't have anythin' to make it easier for him do we?" he asked.

"Spit." the buzzed hair one replied as he continued to mess with Castiel, he just said dirty things to him as he touched his chest and in between his legs. Castiel felt so dirty, ruined, mocked, humiliated. His heart rate had picked up and he was having an attack but they didn't know that. The orange guy spit at Castiel's entrance rubbing it in slightly before pushing his thumb into him and then his penis. Castiel screamed, squeezing his eyes tightly. It hurt so bad. It felt like he was being ripped apart.

The black haired guy moaned, feeling the vibrations down. He tugged at Castiel's hair, "Yeah that's a good bitch. How about you open your eyes for me pretty boy?" he licked his lips.

Castiel had his eyes completely shut, he didn't want to see what was happening. He didn't want to believe this was true. The guy started thrusting into him and it hurt every time. He could feel something running down his leg. He assumed it was blood.

The orange hair one grunted, "Dude, he's so tight." he commented.

Castiel didn't even want to stand anymore, he felt his knees giving in and they were just holding him by the hips and the head. For every thrust it would push him forward and back and he was being teased by the other guy as he kept going. The orange guy slammed into him as the guy in front kept a lazy pace, just pushing Castiel's hair back to see his face, though he wouldn't open his eyes.

The guy in the back moaned, thrusting into Castiel hard and fast. He was only doing the thought to please himself and not whether he was hurting him. He kept his brutal pace and groaned. "Yeah, I don't think I'm going to last long." he grunted.

"Weak." The guy with buzzed hair said.

"I think I should cum in him..." he said.

Castiel's eyes shot open, No, no, no. He didn't want that to happen. He didn't want to feel that inside of him, No!

The guy with dark hair looked down at him, "There are those blue eyes. Man you got some fucking pretty eyes." He said, stroking his face.

The guy in the back groaned, slamming into him a few more times before cumming into him. Castiel screamed, feeling it pool in him. He wasn't going to cry, no matter what, he would not shed a tear. Once the orange hair guy let him go he completely fell to the ground. The guy with black hair groaned, pushing at the back of his throat, cumming into his mouth. Castiel didn't even want to breathe or swallow that but it slid down his throat and filled his mouth. The black haired guy followed him to the ground, keeping his mouth around him. He slowly pulled out of Castiel's mouth and the guy with buzzed hair covered his mouth, shutting his jaw.

"Swallow it or you'll regret it." he threatened, biting Castiel's shoulder.

Castiel unwillingly swallowed it, feeling completely sick. He was going to throw up. The buzzed hair guy pushed up Castiel's shirt, leaving him basically naked in the cold. He tucked it into Castiel's mouth as soon as he opened it to yell. He roughly pushed down his own pants and took position behind him. There was blood and cum spilling out of him. He hit Castiel's ass, "You look like a cum slut, so fucking gross." he mocked.

The orange haired guy fixed his pants before settling in front of Castiel to hold him, the dark haired one took the buzzed haired guy's spot from before and saw hickies across his chest and neck. He started placing kisses on top of them and leaving hickies over them. Castiel shoved his shoulders and neck, trying to move away. Dean's marks! Dean had left those on his skin and now they're being tainted. The orange haired guy held him down so he couldn't move.

The buzzed hair one pushed into him and groaned, "Shit, you are tight." he hissed. He started thrusting into Castiel' lifting one of his legs to make it better for him.

Castiel shuddered, feeling it brush his prostate. He wanted to claw away his skin, everything. He wanted none of this, not his body reactions. He wished desperately he could just shut down and not feel anything. The guy continued to slam into him as the other guy took away all of Dean's marks and all he could do was take it. He felt the guy with black hair started to stroke with him in time with the thrust, He squeezed down, not wanting to feel that.

The buzzed hair guy moaned, "Fuck, not going to last with him milkin me like this." he said.

He shifted in him and it hit his prostate dead on and he screamed, feeling his body convulse a bit, cumming. The other guy groaned, cumming into him as well, mixing the two and blood. He pulled out, having some spurt on him before he fixed his pants. The other two, let him go completely and he just laid there on the ground motionless.

The guys looked at each other, "We better get the fuck out before someone catches us." the buzzed hair one said.

"Yeah but what if someone finds them?" the orange haired one asked.

"They don't know who the fuck we are and IF someone finds them." the buzz haired one said. The one with dark hair took Castiel's phone and the unconscious cashier's phone and ran off. Castiel just laid there, cold on the ground. He didn't even want Dean to come find him now, he was defiled, dirty. Dean wouldn't want someone ruined.

Dean drove slowly along the route Cas would have taken, carefully scanning the area as he went. He was trying to calm himself down and convince himself that Cas just had his phone on silent and lost track of time when he saw some guys practically running away from somewhere. He frowned suspiciously, turning and driving in the direction they'd come from. There was nothing all around, but he pulled the impala off to the side of the road and got out. He walked quickly down the street, his dread only increasing with each step, something in his stomach telling him Cas must be around here somewhere.

"Cas?" He called out, squinting into the darkness of an alley as he walked.

Castiel almost didn't register that he heard Dean's voice, he was so withdrawn from himself at that point. He flinched slightly, not even sure what he felt at that point. He didn't know if he felt relieved that Dean would find him or scared that he will. He didn't want Dean to find him like this, he didn't want him to see him like this. He would have moved but he was so physically drained and mentally that he just laid there on the cold ground, not even feeling the coldness on his skin anymore.

Dean paused at the entry to the alley while his eyes adjusted, suddenly able to make out the form of the unconscious cashier. He frowned and jogged over, about to stoop down to see of he was alright when he suddenly registered another form. His face paled as he registered who was laying there, hurt, weak, and broken. "No, no, please, no, Cas, no!" He said quickly, hurriedly crouching down beside him. "Cas, Cas, can you hear me?" He asked, one hand hovering just barely off of his face before he hastily tugged at his clothes, trying to cover him and protect him from the cold.

Castiel didn't even want to look at Dean, he felt a wave of different emotions and he didn't want Dean to look at him. He had his head turned, staring at the ground when hot tears rolled down his face. He didn't want to hold them back anymore, he shook, curling himself up and wrapping his arms around himself loosely. He had all these questions bouncing around in his head and he just hated himself at that moment. He didn't want to be touched by Dean, didn't want to feel his warmth, didn't want to feel defiled, dirty, humiliated. He just wanted it all to go away. He wanted to lay in the cold until he was numb from it all.

Dean hesitated, panic stricken, when Cas began to cry. He had a fairly good idea of what had happened, and he realized suddenly that it had happened because Cas had been looking for Dean's father. He felt a stab of guilt and pain at seeing Cas like this. He shrugged off his jacket, pulling Cas up carefully into a sitting position and wrapping his jacket around him. "It's okay, it's okay," he said as calmly and soothingly as he could manage, rubbing Cas's arms lightly with his hands. "I'm here now, it's all going to be alright." He continued.

Castiel was sobbing and it started to hurt because he was so mentally exhausted he didn't even want to cry. He didn't want Dean's jacket around him, it smelled like him and he could still smell the other people on him and it made him sick. He wanted to throw up again. He shakily pushed away from Dean, going onto his hands and knees and emptying his stomach, it was mostly white mixed with other things. He was crying as he threw up and he felt even more disgusting and pathetic that he was doing it in front of Dean. He slumped off the side, away from Dean. He looked down, not making eye contact with him, digging his nails into his palms. He wanted to scratch away his skin, rid of the feeling. He hated himself that he actually wished that they would have beaten him, bloody and broken because that could heal. He didn't want Dean to tell him it was going to be okay because to him it just sounded like lies. It wasn't going to be okay. This had happened and nothing will change that. He just sobbed, trying to hold himself together mentally.

Dean leaned back slightly as Cas vomited, starting to reach out to him again as he slumped to the side but stopping himself, realizing Cas had been leaning away from him. He was beyond worried about Cas, but above even his concern Dean was flat out scared. He had no idea what to do, no inkling of what Cas wanted or needed, and he felt utterly helpless. "Castiel..." He started, trailing off as he searched for something he could say. He wished he could erase all of it, fix everything so it had never happened, but he couldn't do anything. "I'm sorry." He whispered helplessly, knowing the words did absolutely nothing to help Cas whatsoever but saying them anyway.

Castiel didn't even take it in that Dean apologized. He didn't even know how he felt at that moment, he didn't know what was right at that moment. He just wanted to hole up somewhere and forget everything. He wanted to wash himself, scrub his skin until it was red and puffy. He wanted to do more than that, he wanted to scratch it away. Scratch until he felt like that was enough. He wanted to sleep, he wanted to curl up in Dean's arms and sleep it all away and hear him say reassuring things but he didn't want to sleep, he didn't want to close his eyes and hear their sick touches and words, he didn't want Dean to touch him when he was so tarnished and dirty. He felt like he didn't deserve it, he didn't try hard enough, he didn't try to save what Dean put on his skin. All this was his fault. He clutched his head, this was his fault. He should have fought, he should have tried harder, he should've done more but he didn't. He just took it and he ruined himself for it. Dean wouldn't want him for being so useless, so wrong. He bawled even harder that his head started to hurt. He couldn't even muster the action to make words, even if he could, he wouldn't even know what to say. Hold me? Comfort me? No, he couldn't let himself those things, he didn't deserve those.

Sam had been jogging down the street, checking down the stores he said when he heard crying. He knew that he was supposed to be searching for Castiel, but he decided to check it out anyways. He saw Dean's car and that's when he knew that it was Castiel. He sprinted into the alleyway, looking ways to find them and then he spotted Dean, looking down with such a pained expression of sadness, guilt, hopelessness, and anger that it made Sam cringe. He didn't even know what was happening but what he saw was vomit, Castiel bawling with his clothes completely messed up and an unconscious person. He pieced together that this was a rape scene and he felt his stomach twist painfully. He assumed that the guy unconscious is who raped Castiel and Dean had knocked him unconscious. He wasn't sure exactly what to do, but he was the only one with his head on correctly at this point. He walked over to the unconscious person, checking him over. He probably had a concussion and needed a few stitches.

He looked over at Dean first, before he pulled out his phone to call 911. "Dean." he said firmly. "I know this is a really bad situation right now, but you need to pull it together for him." he said in an even and calm tone. "Take him home, clean him up, and check if he has any wounds." he told him. "Take whatever clothes he has on when he takes them off and trash them, burn them for all I care. Don't leave them here for him to remember. Get him something warm to drink and just be there for him. Can you do that Dean? I have to stay here and make sure this guy gets to the hospital. I'll come home after." Sam instructed.

Castiel wanted to black out, he didn't even hear half the things Sam had said, but he was going to force himself to stay awake. He wasn't going to close his eyes to this living nightmare and see it again and again.

Dean looked over at Sam and nodded slightly, realizing he was right- he needed to pull himself together and be there for Cas. He stood up and stepped over to him, hesitant to pick him up but knowing there wasn't much of a chance he'd be able to stand up and walk on his own. "We're going home, okay?" He said softly before scooping him up in his arms. Castiel wasn't sure what was happening but he felt him being picked up and he tried to move away but he couldn't, he just let it happen since he was so tired and that made him even more sick of himself.

Dean glanced back at Sam and suddenly remembered the cashier laying at his feet. "Hey, when that guy wakes up, find out what the hell happened." He said, trying to figure out how he fit into all of this before returning his focus completely on Cas. He walked over to the impala and set him down gently in the front seat, keeping his jacket around him and walking over to the drivers side.

Castiel heard something of Dean saying home but he wasn't listening. He felt him being hugged tightly against warmth and he could smell Dean. It made him him want to cry some more and curl up against Dean, to be comforted, but he didn't want to be held onto, he didn't want anyone touching him. He didn't lean against Dean, he tried not to, but he cried slightly. His breath hitched and he hiccuped. He felt him being put in the car and he was alone again, cold, silent. He squeezed his arms around himself, leaning his head against the door. He wanted to be left alone but even what he wanted hurt. He gave up, trying to figure out anything.

Dean slid into the drivers seat, glancing at Cas as he started up the engine and turned the heat on higher for him. He opened his mouth to say something as he started the drive, trying to get home as quickly as possible, but there was nothing he could think of that would actually be comforting. "Cas, I'll do whatever you need or want, you just have to tell me, okay?" He said, glancing at him and not really expecting an answer. "We're almost home." He added as they approached the house.

Castiel didn't reply, he vaguely heard what Dean said but he was trying not to think anymore. If he could just black out then he wouldn't be able to think of it. He just squeezed himself, digging his nails into his forearms.

Dean pulled up to the house and parked, getting out and quickly walking around to Cas's side and picking him up again. "Alright, let's get you warmed up and maybe get you something hot to drink." He said, figuring by now that he wasn't going to get any reply from Cas but talking to him anyway. He walked into the house and hesitated, not sure of what Cas wanted first. "How about new clothes first?" He offered, walking up to his room and setting Cas carefully on the bed and shifting his jacket around him slightly.

Castiel sat on the bed, wincing at the pain. He wanted new clothes but more than anything, he wanted to shower. He hasn't made eye contact with Dean since he found him, he was staring down at his legs. He nodded just a little, even that much action was tiring.

Dean grabbed some of Cas's clothes and crouched down in front of him. "Okay, I know you want to get cleaned up. Do you need help?" He asked, still not sure how much Cas wanted him around or if he could stand long enough for a shower. Cas still hadn't looked at him and he didn't want to force him, but he wished Cas would say something.

Castiel stared at his legs, he knew he was going to need help but he didn't want Dean to see him, mostly without his clothes and seeing what a mess he was. He figured he would turn on the water for him, but he didn't want Dean taking off him clothes. He didn't want anyone taking off his clothes. He shook his head a little, he didn't want to talk. He felt like his voice would sound too broken, that his eyes would express how much pain he was in and even if he was suffering, he would do his best to keep the blame away from Dean. He didn't want to him to see him so guilty and pained.

Dean nodded slightly. "Okay, I'll get it started for you and get the hot water going." He replied, standing up and going to the bathroom. He ran a hand through his hair as he turned on the water, hating to see Cas like this. He was determined to do whatever he needed, but he couldn't undo what had happened. He went back over to Cas and offered his hand, wanting to just pick him up again but knowing he'd have to stand up to shower. "I'll help you over, okay?"

Castiel looked at Dean's hand, he hesitated to take his hand. He had this irrational fear that Dean could feel how dirty he felt or that as soon as he would try to take Dean's hand, he would move his hand away. It was painful, more than being defiled. He dreaded rejection. He didn't want Dean to reject him, be disgusted. No, that would break him. He dropped his hand that was moving to take his hand. He slowly stood up, making sure he wasn't going to fall. He hunched himself a little, making it easier to balance and hold himself. He left Dean's jacket on the bed, now feeling cold again. He stopped in front of Dean, staring at their legs. His mind and actions were conflicting and it hurt because even his thoughts were going against each other and he just wanted to push it all away. Push it all away, pretend it never happened and just have Dean hold him and silence all the hate in his mind.

Dean hesitated slightly before letting his hand drop when Cas didn't take it. He moved it around to hover behind Cas in case he stumbled or needed the support, and moved towards the bathroom. He tried not to read too much into Cas not taking his hand and leaving his jacket, telling himself that he needed some space for a while.

"So I'll be right outside if you need me." He assured him, stopping at the door.

Castiel nodded just a little, he could feel how warm Dean was with his arm hovering around him. It was reassuring but also frightening because he felt like someone was going to touch him. He staggered slowly into the bathroom and closed the door quietly behind him. He wanted to just fall to floor and just stay there but he had to get through this. He had to. He slowly stripped off his clothes, not bothering to fold them. He just tossed them aside in a pile. They were stained in spit, blood, dirt, and cum. He didn't want anything to do with those. He didn't look in the mirror because he was going to hate what he saw and hate himself even more. He slowly made it to the shower and stepped in.

The hot water washed over him but he didn't relax, he was tense. He washed part of his face to get rid of the tear streaks on his cheeks. He washed his hair first, scrubbing it tiredly. He felt the suds wash away as he stood there. He had to clean himself. He grabbed the soap and started scrubbing his skin, again and again. He had to clean between his legs and inside of him. He started crying again once he started cleaning there, not because it hurt, but how disgusting it was. He felt it run down his legs and it was cold and he felt sick. His tears were washed with the shower. Once he felt that he cleaned it all out, he was completely done, he fell to his knees and started scratching his skin around his neck and shoulders. He didn't want them there, he wanted them gone. He started crying harder, constantly scratching his skin, feeling it burn hot and puffy at his scratching. He dug his nails into himself, just wanting it all gone. He wasn't even sure if Dean could hear him but at this point he didn't care. He wanted Dean to come hold him, tell him he was okay no matter how much he was against it, he wanted Dean to take it all away. He scratched at his skin even harder that it broke skin.

Dean leaned his back against the door, listening to the water as Cas moved underneath it. He grimaced as he heard him start crying again, desperately wanting to comfort him. He heard a thump when Cas fell to his knees and he stood up, hand hovering just over the door knob. "Cas? Are you okay?" He asked, wincing slightly because of course he wasn't okay, but he needed to know if Cas actually wanted Dean there or not.

Castiel cried, feeling terrible that he was crying again. He felt like he was just making something too big out of it. He didn't want Dean to ask him questions, he couldn't even answer his own questions. "D-Dean make it go away." He nearly wailed, scratching at his skin. It started to bleed a little but he didn't care. "Make it go away. I don't want to feel like this anymore..." His voice cracked and it was just broken sounding. It was painful to hear it in his own ears but he didn't know what to do anymore.

The sound of Cas's voice, so broken and pained, physically hurt and he didn't hesitate before coming in. He froze when he saw Cas scratching at himself in the shower, his heart practically shattered at the sight. "Cas, Cas," he breathed, jumping forward and shutting off the water and grabbing a towel. He caught Cas's hands, stopping him from clawing at himself, and draped the towel over his shoulders like a blanket. "I'm here, I'm trying," he said softly, wishing desperately that he could take away all of his pain.

Castiel balled his fists up in Dean's hands, clenching and unclenching them. He was still crying, "I-I don't know what to do anymore..." He cried. It hurt to talk because he was tired but he felt it spilling over. He wanted to make words but they just sounded so wrong. "I'm dirty, I don't...I don't w-want you to touch me...but I want you too h-hold me..to tell me it's g-going to be okay..." He hiccuped. "To...to not reject me.." He said softly, not looking at Dean as he spoke. It wasn't enough, he wanted to clean himself until it was enough.

Dean felt his heart twist painfully, realizing Cas didn't know what he wanted either. He gently laid his hand on his cheek, wiping away some of his tears with his thumb and trying to meet his eyes. "I'm here for you, I'll hold you or not, whichever you want, I'll do everything I can to make it okay." He told Cas softly, squeezing his hand slightly. "I'm not going to reject you. Not now, not ever." He promised with absolute certainty.

Castiel hiccuped, before finally looking up at Dean. His eyes looked duller than its vibrant blue, sad and hurt. He really hoped that Dean wasn't lying to him because he hated himself. He cried a few more tears, "I feel disgusting...I was trying to get rid of them." He explained. He checked his hands tightly, feeling the need to claw them away again. "Make them better, make it go away..." his voice got soft. He was tired, he didn't want any of this anymore. He leaned into Dean. "Make it go away..." He knew that Dean couldn't but he hoped.

Dean swallowed as another painful shock went through him when Cas finally met his gaze. He looked so broken, so tired and hurt. Dean wrapped his arm around Cas's shoulders when he leaned into him, the other hand still held his head. "I'm sorry." He murmured desperately, knowing he couldn't take any of it away no matter how much he wanted to. He kissed his forehead softly, holding him tightly.

Castiel shuddered, he knew it was Dean touching him but he still felt disgusting. He stopped talking, he felt too tired. He just leaned onto Dean, taking in his warmth even though he feared his warmth. He would be scared it was someone else's. He let his hands hang uselessly at his side. He still sniffled and hiccuped, but no more tears came out.

Dean held him for a moment, gently rubbing his back. "C'mon, how about we get some you some fresh clothes, okay? I can get you something to drink while you change, if you want, and then you can lay down or sleep or whatever you want." He said, trying to be comforting as much as possible. He knew he had no idea of what Cas was feeling or thinking, but he was determined to do everything in his power to make him feel even slightly better.

"...Coffee..." Castiel replied quietly. He was completely exhausted where he wanted to sleep for a week but he didn't even want to close his eyes for too long. His eyes would droop but he would jolt a little to wake up again. He didn't feel energized to get dressed but he didn't want to be naked.

Dean nodded. "Okay, coffee it is." He said, loosening his grip but not letting go completely as he stood up. He scooped Cas up carefully, not trusting that he'd be able to walk as exhausted as he looked. He walked back over to the bed and set him down carefully, crouching in front of him again. "Do you want help getting dressed or do you want me to go get the coffee while you change?" He asked, unsure if Cas would want to be alone.

Castiel held onto the towel tighter around his shoulders and body, he felt more self conscious now that he did that. He curled himself up a little, "You can go...I can do it..." He said quietly. He looked down again. He wasn't even sure what he wanted, he wanted Dean to stay but he didn't. He didn't want him to see him marked and unstable on his feet.

Dean nodded, resting his hands on Cas's shoulders and rubbing his arms slightly. "I'll be back really quickly." He said as he stood up. "Don't push yourself, okay? If you need help, I'll be right back." He added, thinking that he might be acting a little overbearing since he was his going downstairs for a few minutes but he didn't care. He brushed Cas's cheek with his hand as he moved, glancing back at him as he went out the door and jogged downstairs.

Castiel didn't look up until he brushed his cheek. He watched Dean go before getting dressed. The pile of clothes was right next to him, he pulled on the shirt first. He felt sick again, he didn't like the feel of clothes right now but he needed to be dressed. He leaned back slightly to put on underwear and he stopped. He felt tired, he didn't want to do anymore. He touched the pants that Dean picked out for him, he wanted something simpler to put on but he didn't want to get up. He glanced around the room, before leaning over to open Dean's drawers. He took out a shirt and sweat pants. He took off his shirt before he took a break. He looked down at his scratches and felt disgusted again. He pulled on Dean's shirts quickly so he didn't have to see it anymore. He had to stand up to put on pants, but he didn't like the pain and soreness of moving. He pulled them up to his thighs before he wiggled them on. He breathed out, feeling like he just ran an endless marathon but he was just putting on clothes. He didn't even dry himself, his hair was still dripping and his skin was wet except his shoulders. He pulled his knees to his chest onto the bed and just held himself closer, waiting for Dean. He didn't want to wear his clothes. He didn't want to think about it, if he wore Dean's clothes, he could feel safer. Like he was there.

Dean returned a few minutes later with a mug of hot coffee. He sat down beside Cas, noticing that he was wearing his clothes but not mentioning it. He definitely didn't mind, especially if it made Cas feel better. "Got some coffee." He said, wrapping his arm carefully around him and offering him the mug.

Castiel took the mug and clutched it close. He looked down at the mug, watching the steam. He didn't drink it yet, seeing it still being really hot. He figured Dean just poured it. He sat still in his spot, not really moving as he stared at the mug. He lifted it up to his mouth, blowing it a little before he drank some. It burned his tongue a little but he kept drinking. He finished about half the mug before he set it back down. He just looked so tired.

Dean sat beside him, watching him and arching his brow slightly when Cas drank half the coffee. "I can get you more, once you finish that." He offered, figuring Cas must not want to sleep. He stroked his back lightly, hoping he felt a little comforted. "D'you want anything else?"

Castiel didn't make any movement closer to Dean, shaking his head. He didn't want anything and anything he wanted, he couldn't have. He just clutched the mug, forcing himself to stay awake. He didn't want to sleep and the coffee wasn't kicking in for him. There was footsteps in the house before Dean's door opened.

Sam popped his head in, "Dean? Cas? You guys need anything?" He asked. He needed to talk to Dean but he would check on them first. He opened the door fully to step in. Castiel didn't even look up at him, just stared at the mug.

Dean glanced over at Sam when he came in, his arm still around Cas. "No, I think we're okay for now." He glanced down at Cas. "Hang on one second, I'm gonna talk to Sam real quick. I'll be right back." He said, patting his arm slightly before standing up and walking over to Sam.

Castiel just finished the rest of the mug as Dean left. Sam glanced again at Cas before Dean closed the door behind them so they could talk. Castiel was alone again, setting aside the empty mug. His shouldered ached, his back ached, everything hurt. He picked up a bottle of pain pills and stared at them.  _Don't take more than 3, very strong pain killers._

"He looks really shaken up. Did you do what I told you?" Sam asked as they stood outside the door. He pressed his lips together before he spoke, "That kid you saw in the alley way was the kid you saw at the grocery store. He wasn't involved in the rape. He gave me the names of those people and descriptions and I already reported them. He said that he would take the blame as well because he didn't know. He tried protecting Cas but he got hit in the head by a plank. So we just have to sit on our hands for now, while the police do their jobs." He sighed.

Dean frowned, hating the thought of just sitting around and waiting. He wanted to find them himself and make them sorry they'd ever touched Cas, but there was no way he was leaving him now. "Fine. I don't like it, but at least that guy is helping I guess." He sighed. "They better find them fast." He muttered, shaking his head slightly. "And yeah, I did what you said. I think he's a little better. Better than he was, at least." He added.

"Did you get rid of the clothes he was wearing? It's better to not have anything physical of the day. So if you haven't, it would probably be a good idea to do that." Sam told him. "Tea is also very calming and soothing so I don't know what you gave him, but just a thought. Water would be something he needs to." He thought about it. "Oh, and I read a book on this so I figured some knowledge would come in handy. I know you're kind of lost on what to do since this has never happened but you need to be the backbone. He's shaken up and he probably all over the place with his emotions. So sometimes you need to take the charge that you think would be right. He probably isn't even thinking correctly so think a little for him. If you don't know, ask, but if you think he needs to be held. Hold him. Do things for him, don't ask all about it because he probably doesn't even know." He pat Dean on the shoulder, "Call me if you need anything. Keep him warm, do reassuring touches but not that much because touching reminds the victim of what happened. Okay?" Sam explained. "I think that's it. If you need something, seriously, just ask." He finished.

Dean nodded, listening carefully and feeling a slight relief that he had someone to help him out too. "I'm going to go ahead and get rid of the clothes then, and get him some water." He said. "Thanks, Sammy." He added with a slight smile. Sam nodded slightly, going back to his room.

Dean went downstairs and grabbed a bag before heading up and he heard something and he scrunched his eyebrows slightly in confusion and opened his door. "Cas? You okay?" he asked as he walked in more before he dropped his bag and he ran over to Castiel.

Castiel poured the pill bottle in his mouth and was crying a bit and Dean made him spit it out, digging his fingers in Cas's mouth to make him hack them out. Castiel gagged, coughing roughly before he spit them out and he was panting and now he was fully crying again.

Dean felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest, Cas just tried to commit suicide...He had so many emotions bouncing in him and he held Castiel close in his arms as his tears soaked his shirt. "Castiel please...please...don't do that again...I…" Dean's voice shook, he was so scared. He didn't know what to do, but he needed to be strong. Castiel only had him as someone to be level headed.

Dean gently rocked him in his arms, rubbing his back. Castiel didn't even hold onto Dean, he was wailing in his shirt. He couldn't take it. Everything hurt. He just wanted it to go away. All of it to just be numb. Castiel pushed away from Dean, not wanting someone to hold him.

Castiel's voice broke, "I...I'm sorry." he tried, shaking. He knew what he did was wrong. He wasn't thinking clearly. It was so hard to.

"Don't be sorry…" Dean told him, wanting to reach out and hold him but he had to sit still. He winced slightly at the pills that laid scattered around them. "Just please...please...don't do that again.." he pleaded, full or worry and sadness.

Castiel didn't say anything in return, he was too wrapped up in his own head. Dean didn't want Cas out of his sight for even a moment. He texted Sam really quickly before sitting there in silence with Cas.

The night didn't get easier, Castiel tried so hard to stay awake but he would drift asleep and wake up before sleeping again until he fell asleep, leaning against the side of the bed. Dean took that moment to clean up and carefully set Cas on the bed, putting a blanket over him

When Dean left, he returned a few moments later with a large glass of water. Cas was making whimper sounds in his sleep and Dean set down the glass before Castiel started screaming and thrashing in his sleep, kicking the blankets off. Dean quickly took off the blankets and tried to hold Cas's hand so he wouldn't hurt himself but Castiel started jerking his arms away and crying before he finally snapped awake and he jolted upright, staring back at Dean with wide eyes, cold sweat, and his chest heaving.

Dean didn't know what to do so he reached out slightly and Castiel lashed out at him,  _ **"Don't touch me!**_ " he snapped.

Dean felt his heartbreak some more. He couldn't help Cas. In any way. He felt so useless, guilty, sad, and deep down, under the concern and worry, he felt rage. He wanted to find those guys and bury them alive for what they did to Cas.

Castiel didn't sleep again the night, he stayed awake, curled up in the corner with his blanket and nobody could come close to him because he would pushed further back against the wall and start shaking.

Dean stayed up as well, wanting to be there whenever Cas would need something. Anything. He would get it. He was just so worried, watching Castiel nod off before jolting awake and looking around with that same fearful look before he covered himself again. He wanted to wash away those fears, let Castiel sleep.

Sam came up to him late at night and looked between them before walking over to Dean, "Dean...he's in the midst of a panic and anxiety thing...I think some medicine to put him to sleep would be good for him." he said quietly.

"Sam...I don't want force him to sleep. He won't even let me in 5ft of him." Dean replied, looking over at Cas wearily.

"He'll put up a fight, I know...but it'll be better for him." Sam told him, handing him a pill. "Just try to ease him to taking it, but if you need to by force….do it." Sam looked at Dean sadly, "He feels a bit more comfortable with you so I hope you can get him to do that." he said before looking at Cas again before slowly leaving.

Dean held the pill in his hand and closed it in his fist before slowly sitting down on the ground, scooting a little closer. Castiel was watching him, pulling the blanket slightly higher.

"Cas...I know...I know you're freaked...you're scared of me...but I'm trying okay?" Dean said soothingly. "I'll do whatever you need for you to get better...I promise." he reassured. "I just think you should go to sleep. You'll feel better." he said.

Castiel shook his head, "I'll...again…" his voice could barely be heard and cracked. He shook his head again.

Dean scooted in a little closer. "I promise Cas...I'll be here when you wake up...I won't leave..I'll protect you." he said. "Just trust me, Castiel."

Castiel's slowly looked up before down and he nodded slightly. Dean continued to slowly move closer so Castiel would not be scared. When he was within arms reach, he handed out Castiel the medicine. Castiel held it in his hand and he was shaking before he put it in his mouth and tried to swallow it, Dean reached up for the glass on the side table and handed it to him.

Castiel took a sip before drinking all of it. Some of the color came back to his face from the water before. It only took a few moments before Castiel was leaning against the wall sleeping. Dean let him rest there for a few moments to make sure he was sleeping before scooping him up yet again and setting him down on the bed. He brushed his hair back and sighed sadly, wishing he knew what to do.

Hopefully tomorrow would be better.


	11. All of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are going to be rough for the couple. Castiel isn't mentally okay, how will Dean handle it?

Dean didn't sleep for very long nor did he sleep very well. He was so worried about Cas that he woke up every hour to make sure he was okay. When the sun started to light the room, Dean was up and looking over Cas, who was still sleeping away. It wasn't his normal relaxed sleeping, it was medicine sleeping. He looked….still.

It made Dean uncomfortable, hovering his hand over Cas's face to make sure he was breathing. He couldn't touch him, he wanted to, desperately. He wanted to shield Cas away from the pain he was feeling.

Dean felt like he was walking on eggshells, he didn't know what was okay and what was. What if Cas woke up and he had an attack? What if he got scared and freak out? Dean didn't want Cas to be scared of him, he wanted him to find him as a safe spot so he can slowly feel okay again. Then again, what if Cas woke up and Dean wasn't holding him or there and Cas would be sad because he was alone?

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Cas started stirring next to him. Castiel slowly blinked, his eyes adjusting to the room. He didn't say anything, rubbing his eyes before turning to look at Dean.

Dean looked at him, not sure what to say. He was trying to gauge how Cas was feeling but he didn't know what Cas was feeling.

"...I had a bad dream Dean…" Castiel told him, thinking that yesterday night was all a dream since he was still lying in bed with Dean next to him. It had to be.

Dean felt his heart being crushed, Cas thought yesterday was a dream...what will he do? Should he tell Cas that it wasn't? Go along with it?

Castiel slowly started to sit up and a pain went through him and then the dread started to fill him. It wasn't a dream. It had happened. Yesterday started to rush back to him, making his breathing pick back up and he felt sick.

"Cas…?" Dean said hesitantly.

"It wasn't a dream was it?" Castiel said quietly. He was trying to take a few deep breaths but it didn't work. He covered his face with his hands. "Please...please leave me alone."

Dean wanted to reach out and touch, that's all he knew about comfort, he wasn't great with words but he couldn't touch Cas. He dropped his hand back down and nodded, sliding out of the bed.

"I'll be right outside if you need me at all Cas." Dean said softly, walking toward the door. He was scared of leaving Cas alone, last time he did….

He left the door cracked open so he can watch over him. Dean slid down the wall next to their door, slumping sadly.

Dedan felt his heart ache as he started to hear the crying come out of his room. He closed his eyes and hit his head back against the wall, he was at a lost on what to do. He wanted to just bundle Cas in his arms and just hold him while he cried. He scrubbed his face with his hand, hearing footsteps next to him and he slowly looked up.

Sam could see the anguish in Dean's eyes, the pain and guilt. Sam sat down next to Dean, just sitting there with him.

"I don't know what to do Sammy…" Dean sighed, cringing slightly when he heard Cas practically wailing inside his room but it sounded muffled.

"It's going to take a while Dean...right now...it looks like he just need some time to himself, but you being there will help him." Sam told him. "Just give him some time." he repeated.

Dean sighed, nodding as they sat there. "You know...last night...he…" he started but he couldn't get out the right words. "He...he tried to kill himself. What am I supposed to do? Sit on my hands and hope things get better?" he said frustratedly.

"Yes." Sam replied. "That's all you can do for now Dean. We took care of what we could but it's...it's up to how Cas heals is how fast he gets better." he explained. "It could take months, it could be weeks. We don't know. Until then….yeah, we're sitting with our thumbs up our asses." he said.

Dean thumped his head again before looking down at his hands and clenching his fist. "You have no idea how much I want to wring the necks of those guys…" he said lowly.

Sam patted him on the shoulder before slowly getting up, "I'll see what we can make. Go check on him." he said before going downstairs.

Dean sighed before getting up and stopping in front of the door. He took a deep breath before lightly knocking, "Cas?" he said softly before pushing the door open.

Castiel was bundled in the blankets on the bed, not showing any part of him. He was hiccuping under the blanket. "Dean...go away." he sniffled.

Dean frowned, "I'm worried about you Cas, I just want you to feel better." he told him, staying by the door.

Castiel didn't say anything so Dean did. "I'm coming over okay?" he said, walking slowly and cautiously so Cas could tell him to leave whenever he wanted, but he didn't. He let Dean come over and sit on the edge of the bed.

"Cas...can you come out?" Dean asked him gently.

"...No...I don't want you to look at me." Castiel replied quietly.

"Are you scared of me Cas?" Dean asked softly.

Castiel was quiet, thinking on if he was. "...No. I'm not scared of you...I'm scared of a lot more things…." he finally said.

"Can I touch you?" Dean asked next.

Castiel was quiet again before he replied. "No...I don't...I don't want you to touch me when I can't see what you're doing." he said truthfully.

"Why won't you come out then?" he asked. "I'm not going to force you out Cas...I just want to know." he added.

Castiel knew that this problem wasn't just him suffering but Dean as well. So he did his best to find some sort of middle ground for them, which was telling him what he asked. "I...I don't…" he swallowed. "I don't want to see what you'll think of me…" he replied quietly.

The room fell into silence for just a moment before Dean scooted just a little closer and Castiel flinched under the blanket before he stilled again.

"Cas, I don't think anything less of you than I did yesterday." Dean told him. "I mean that." he said.

Castiel was still before he slowly came out of the blanket and looked at Dean for just a second before down. "You don't...you're not disgusted by me…?" he asked, wrapping his arms around himself to hold it together.

Dean glanced over at Cas, gently hooked his finger under Cas's chin to have him look up. He was trying to do what Sam had said, being there for him without being too touchy.

Castiel slowly looked at him, letting out a breath. He leaned closer to Dean, the touch was kind of nice. He knew this hand and warmth. He looked at Dean sadly, "I'm...I'm disgusting…"

"You're not disgusting. I feel the exact same way about you as I did this yesterday and every day since I've met you. This doesn't change how I feel about you at all." Dean replied, encouraged by Cas leaning against him. He wrapped his arm around his shoulders gently, rubbing his arm slightly.

Castiel let out a shaky breath, watching Dean the whole time. "I'm dirty...tainted." He didn't want Dean to leave him to his thoughts. It would just get worse.

Dean replied, voice completely steady and sincere. "Castiel, you aren't dirty, tainted, or disgusting. You're kind, sweet, caring, and so much more." he rubbed his thumb against Cas's cheek. "I don't feel any different from yesterday and I know I won't tomorrow or a week from today, even months." With everything else Cas was going through, he didn't want him to worry about something like that- Dean would be there, no matter what.

Castiel looked up at him, eyes searching for a lie that he would never find. That statement just made him realize how stupid his thoughts were. He had doubts but his thoughts just made them even more exaggerated. Dean still cared for him, of course he did. He was still here, telling him it was okay and giving him drinks because he was worried. Concerned. Castiel felt his heart squeeze, Dean was here. Here. Castiel found Dean's other hand and put his on top of it. He needed the comfort. He needed the touch but he didn't. It was something more than just physical.

"D-Dean…" Castiel's voice shook just a little, "If...if you're not disgusted…" he said quietly. "Will you kiss me…? Please?" he requested. "It's….It's the only thing they didn't do…" he leaned into Dean's hand and stared at him.

Dean squeezed his hand slightly, his other hand curving around Cas's face. He met Cas's eyes, seeing all the sorts of emotions he wished Cas never had to experience. He would do anything to make him feel better, to erase his doubts, to show Cas that he was there and there to stay no matter what. He didn't hesitate as he leaned over and kissed him softly, running his thumb gently over his cheek.

Castiel's lip quivered just slightly because Dean was kissing him and he felt like everything was going to be okay, eventually, but it was going to be okay. Dean was all he should focus on. If he focused on him then he wouldn't have to think about anything else. He leaned into Dean slightly, trying to calm his thoughts. He'll get through this, like he always does, but this time, he wasn't alone and that made him relax more.

Dean slid his hand around to the back of Cas's neck, still being gentle and soft. He was encouraged by Cas leaning into him, but he wasn't going to push it until Cas made it obvious he was okay. His other hand was still wrapped around Cas's, just holding it.

Castiel squeezed Dean's hand, still feeling okay because Dean was holding him. It smelled like him and it was familiar, soothing to him. He kissed Dean back gently. He wanted Dean to mark over his marks and make it painfully obvious that he still cared that he still wanted him, that what happened didn't change how he felt about him. His free hand, lightly held onto the hem of Dean's shirt, just holding him. He didn't know how far or comfortable he was but he wanted to feel like he wasn't someone else's or carrying their marks. He was ashamed, but he wasn't sure he was ready to expose himself again.

Dean wrapped his arm gently around Cas's middle, pulling him closer, slowly . He made sure he did everything carefully, softly, though Cas seemed completely okay with everything so far. Still, he wanted him to have plenty of opportunity to stop if he stopped wanting to be touched or held or kissed.

Castiel could tell that each of Dean's touches were done with great care and that just made him melt more because he was being treated so carefully. Like he was precious and he was given enough time to think if he wanted to do anything about it. He was a bit grateful that Dean was touching him in areas that they didn't so he was still okay. He shifted just slightly closer to Dean, thinking that he was making the choice. He was making this choice, no one is going to force him. This was constented. He can stop whenever he wanted.

Dean took Cas's shift as a sign that he was okay, that he did want this. He tightened his grip on him, running his hand up Cas's arm. He broke off from his lips and kissed along his jaw, working his way slowly down along his neck. He wanted to kiss every part of him, show him just how much he still cared for him, but was still prepared for him to pull away at any moment.

Castiel opened his eyes again, making sure he saw what he was thinking. He felt a shiver run through him as Dean got closer to his neck, he lightly touched Dean's hair. "Dean.." he breathed out slowly. "Just a little breather." he asked. He felt a run of fear and he just need a few moments to adjust. He held onto the hem of Dean's shirt, still keeping him there.

Dean nodded and moved his face back up so it was level with Cas's. "It's okay, you don't have to do anything you don't feel comfortable with." He replied. He didn't want Cas to be nervous or scared, and he definitely didn't want to bring up any of those fresh memories.

Castiel nodded a little, knowing Dean was right but he wanted this. He didn't want to feel like he had to claw at his skin because he was marked by someone else. He wanted Dean to be the one who would do that. He let out a few calming breaths, calming himself back down. "I'm okay. I just needed to breathe..." he told him. "Please continue... I'll stop you if I get scared." he replied.

Dean paused to be sure he was okay before nodding. "Okay. Just let me know if you need another break." He said before leaning forward and kissing his mouth again. He started where he knew Cas was okay before moving back down his neck again, slowing slightly when he got to the part where Cas had stopped him before continuing across his neck. Dean was weary of what they were doing, he was still walking on eggshells but if Cas asked, then he would be willing to give.

The hand that was holding onto the hem of Dean's shirt, took more of his shirt into his hand. He put his other hand on Dean's shoulder, just reassuring himself. He kept his eyes open, just making sure of his familiar surroundings. His breathing picked up just slightly, but it wasn't bad. These were Dean's kisses and he felt better with them. He was safe with Dean and that's what he focused on.

Dean kissed the skin just outside the collar of his shirt, sucking lightly but not leaving a mark. His hand rose to card through Cas's hair gently. He rose up slightly to kiss where Cas was more comfortable and slipped his other hand under the hem of his shirt, just resting it against his skin. He knew this couldn't be easy for Cas, so he tried to go slowly enough for him.

Castiel put his head onto Dean's shoulder, breathing slowly. "Please...Please leave marks. I don't care that they're visible. Please...I need them." he said quietly and desperately. He wanted those feelings gone and he wanted them to be replaced with Dean's. His breath hitched just slightly at the hand resting against his skin. He watched it, telling himself that it was just Dean. Not someone else. Those were the hands that treated him so carefully, the ones that brushed through his hair like it was currently. He relaxed again after breathing.

Dean paused slightly before nodding, not questioning what Cas wanted. He moved to suck the skin just below his jaw, tugging it slightly, and being sure to leave a mark. He did the same thing at the base of his neck, kissing and lightly scraping the skin with his teeth. He gently traced circles into the skin on the small of his back while he kissed his neck, keeping everything he did slightly slower than normal.

Castiel started panting a little, Dean was going slower and he could feel everything and it made him feel good. He felt better for everything that Dean did and that disgusting feeling was slowly shrinking. He just held onto Dean and let him take things slowly, he concentrated on the tenderness that Dean was giving him.

Dean hitched Cas's shirt up slightly, slowly caressing his newly exposed skin, letting Cas get used to the feeling. He lifted his face to meet Cas's lips again, kissing him deeply as he worked his hand slowly higher on his skin. He wanted him to be used to feeling, trying to get him more relaxed as comfortable before tugging the shirt up, poised to come off with a movement from Cas.

Castiel was panting more, closing and opening his eyes as he felt the soft caressing on his skin. It made a small shiver run through him. He was caught by Dean's green eyes, staring at them for just a moment before they were kissing. He held onto Dean more, moaning softly into his mouth. He was used to this taste, used to this type of intimacy and affection. He felt Dean slowly moving his hand across his back and slowly hitch his shirt up. He was really just taken in by Dean at that point, not feeling as tense or on guard. He lifted his arms to help Dean take off his shirt, he felt a rush of self consciousness. The scratches, those other marks. He clutched Dean tightly, feeling vulnerable again.

Dean winced internally at the scratches, hating how Cas just have felt to make those himself. He moved and kissed them lightly, lips barely grazing over the scratches. The other marks sparked his anger, that anyone would dare to do that to Cas against his will. He kissed one softly, gently, before sucking at the skin and tracing his tongue across it, reclaiming the mark as his own.

Castiel was panting roughly against Dean, feeling the intimate kissing over the dull pain of his scratches and the kisses. He felt even better that Dean was taking care of them, that they weren't by someone and how affectionate and careful he was about each mark just made it even more special to him. He leaned against Dean, now wanting to be closer. He wanted to have that safe place he felt when he was in Dean's arms. He wanted to be okay again.

Dean kissed over every mark and left a few new ones of his own, hating the thought of anything being left on his skin that Cas didn't want there. He tried to erase every reminder of what had happened on Cas's skin, leaving no marks other than his own loving ones. He tightened his arm around him protectively, kissing Cas's jaw and tracing his hand across Cas's chest lightly.

Castiel made small sounds at Dean's kisses, feeling a bubble of emotion that he felt for Dean. He was breathing roughly, feeling little sparks of pleasure when Dean marked him again. He slowly brought himself a little closer to Dean, just wanting to breath in his scent. He felt Dean kissing his jaw before he felt a hand lightly touch his chest. The hand that was on Dean's shirt, immediately went to hold onto the side of Dean's neck. "B-break please." he panted out. He could feel those disgusting hands on his chest and then felt a wash of disgust for himself that his body reacted to it. He leaned his head onto Dean's shoulder, panting.

Dean immediately moved his hand away, realizing that it had been the problem. He held on to Cas, his hand moving to gently comb through his hair again in an effort to comfort him. "It's okay, it's just me. We can stop any time you want." He said softly. He had no idea what was upsetting to him, so he was glad Cas was taking breaks when he needed them.

Castiel made a soft sound at Dean when he started stroking his hair. He opened his eyes, just breathing in Dean's neck. He gulped a little, "I-I know..." he said softly. "They...they touched my chest and...and my body reacted to it...and I'm just so disgusted with myself." he explained quietly, voice breaking just a little. "I hated it so much...but my body kept reacting and I just...I just wanted to shut down and not feel anything..." he clutched Dean closely, burying his head into him. "I...I reacted to them. I reacted to them raping me...and I'm so disgusting..." he choked out, feeling a wave of emotions again. "I reacted. My body pushed an...an orgasm with them no matter how much I-I didn't want it...I hate myself for it...why was I so weak? Why...Why couldn't I do anything? Why did my body react when I hated it? Why?" he wanted to ball up somewhere, feeling that disgusting twist in his heart that made him sick.

Dean held him close, stroking his back lightly. "You're not disgusting and you're not weak. It's not your fault at all. That's just the way bodies react, there's nothing you could've done to stop it, no matter how much you hated it." He said softly, his heart twisting painfully a the amount of self loathing in Cas's words. He pulled back slightly so that he could meet Cas's eyes. "None of that was your fault. None of it." He said with absolute sincerity and certainty, he tugged on the nearby blanket and draped it over Cas so he wouldn't feel as vulnerable.

Castiel looked at Dean, again, searching for that doubt or lie that he wouldn't find. He bit his lip slightly, "It's not?" He asked softly, his voice just wrapped in so many emotions. He held onto Dean a bit tighter, really hoping that he wasn't lying to him.

It was painful to Dean that Cas could really have so much doubt, that he could really think this was somehow his fault. "No. It's not at all." He said softly, the hand in Cas's hair moving to hold the side of his face gently. "You can't blame yourself for this, Cas. You didn't do anything wrong and there's nothing you could've done to stop it." He said, thinking that he was probably more to blame than Cas for sending him out there on his own.

Castiel put his hand over Dean's, leaning into it. He closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. He needed to take in those words to make those thoughts in his mind silent. He slowly opened his eyes again to Dean's gaze. He nodded just slightly. He could get past this, like he always had. He had Dean this time, he's not alone and he won't have to face it alone.

Dean stroked his cheek lightly with his thumb, hoping he'd reassured him. He leaned over and kissed him lightly, wanting to make Cas completely sure that Dean was being sincere. "I'm going to do whatever I can to help you, okay? I'm not going anywhere." He said.

Castiel squeezed the hand under his, leaning completely into his touch. "I believe you." He said softly. "I trust you..." He let out another breath. "I don't want to be scared...to be scared of us touching... I want to touch you. I want us to be like we were..." He added quietly.

Dean nodded slightly, not entirely sure how long it would take before they were back to how they'd been before.

Castiel relaxed in his arms, kissing Dean again. He calmed himself down, feeling okay. He had to focus on Dean, he wanted to get rid of what he felt as much as possible before he would tell Dean to stop. He wrapped his arms around Dean, holding him, to ground himself to know what was real.

Dean broke off from Cas's lips and kissed his neck, not leaving lasting marks now but still sucking lightly on his skin.

Castiel shivered above him. He panted a bit, he caught Dean's hands. That was about all he could take for today. He could feel that disgust feeling lurking in him and he didn't want to feel that when he was feeling okay now. "That's all I can take..." He said softly. He let out a small breath, "Please stop." He told him.

Dean stopped immediately, moving his hands off of him. He sat up to meet his eyes, trying to gauge his expression. "Okay, no problem. You okay?" He asked, wanting to be sure he hadn't gone too far. He knew it was going to be a while before Cas was more comfortable with all of this, but Dean didn't want him to push himself into it.

Castiel looked at Dean, not closing his eyes to calm himself as he took in breaths. He nodded a bit, "I'm okay... a bit better." He said. "I don't feel as disgusting..." He added, slowing his breathing. His eyes were, roaming over Dean's face, just taking it in. He looked back at Dean's green eyes, letting out a soft breath. "I feel taken care of...like you were treating me so preciously." He said softly.

Dean smiled slightly, glad Cas was feeling even a little bit better though he wished he could erase all the bad feelings completely. "Of course I'm trying to take care of you. You are precious. You mean so much to me..." He trailed off, looking into his eyes and relieved to see that they looked more clear, almost back to their usual crystal blue. Cas meant the world to him, and he wished he could properly convey that to him.

Castiel's heart melted and squeezed. His stomach had that soft fluttering feeling. His facial expression softened, those words meant so much to him. Mostly on how he felt now, they were really uplifting. He leaned into Dean, kissing him softly. Dean smiled slightly at the soft kiss and affectionate words, wrapping his arms around Cas when he leaned forward.

"Thank you Dean. That means more than you think..." Castiel buried his head into Dean's neck. "Thank you..." He let out a breath, hugging him tightly. "You mean so, so, so much." He said softly. "More scared than anything else...I was scared you were going to reject me and I...I don't think I would ever be okay again if that happened..."

Dean felt a pang when Cas said that his main fear was of him rejecting him, he held Cas a little tighter. "That's the one thing you never have to worry about. I'm never going to reject you. I'll always be here for you. I promise." He replied softly, hugging him close.

Castiel let out a shaky breath against him, he was just filled with so many emotions. He clutched the back of Dean's shirt and just buried himself into him. He had this worry that one day, Dean would leave him, that he was just a phase. That Dean would no longer want him but having Dean telling him such reassuring things makes him believe that they would be together. He just held onto Dean more tightly, he wanted that thought so bad that he wouldn't ever tell Dean how much it hurt to yearn for such a future. He desperately hoped that he would keep Dean's attention, even though all these troubles came with him.

Dean just held him, rubbing his back gently. This feeling that Cas sparked inside of him, deeper than affection, was almost frightening. He cared so much about Cas, yet he couldn't even protect him. In fact, it was his own family problems that put him in that situation in the first place. Added to the fact that Cas's main fear was of Dean rejecting him, he felt a wash of guilt about the entire thing. He turned his head to kiss Cas's hair lightly, still wishing he could do more for him.

Castiel was really quiet, but he kept his right hold on Dean. The morning has already taken a toll on him. He was getting more tired. He was hugging Dean really tightly though he was breathing slowly. He needed Dean this close, he felt the disgust sitting in the back of his mind but the warmth of Dean and it smelling like him made him relax.

Dean held on to him, feeling his even breathing. He moved his head slightly to look at him and smiled softly. He scooted back farther in the bed slowly, trying not to disturb him, and grabbed the blankets with one hand, pulling it up more as he tried to lay down slowly. He kept Cas close and pulled the blankets over both of them, though he stayed awake to simply hold Cas for a while and watch him sleep. Eventually his steady breathing and their shared warmth lulled him to sleep as well, though he kept his arms around him.

They slept for an hour or so, Castiel woke up with a start and started scrambling away from whoever was holding him. He was still hazed on reality and dreaming so he wasn't all to sure where he was and he was freaking out. He felt the hands tightened slightly around him and he shoved away, scrambling into the corner and huddling himself. He held his head into his knees, shaking.

Dean blinked awake quickly, mind scrambling at why Cas was trying so hard to get away. He started to reach out for him again before he stopped, sitting up quickly. "Cas, it's me, it's Dean, it's okay." He said quickly, his heart twisted painfully at the sight of Cas shaking, forcing himself not to touch him despite his desperation to comfort him.

Castiel flinched, he shook his head and pulled himself together tightly. He didn't register that /Dean/ said that, he figured his mind was playing tricks on him and using his perpetrator to voice it. He shook harder, "P-please stop." He begged. "Y-you're not Dean." He choked out.

Dean stayed where he was despite every ounce of him wanting to wrap his arms around Cas. "It is me, I'm Dean. You're safe here, it's okay." He said softly, trying to soothe him. He reached out to touch him but stopped himself, his hand hovering over Cas's shoulder for a moment before falling to his side again.

"T-that's what you said... why wouldn't you l-let me go?" Castiel asked. He kept his head in his knees and arms by his head. He was still freaking out and panicking. He had squeezed his eyes shut but that didn't really help him because it made him think of other things and it was hard to distinguish reality and what his mind was doing to him.

Dean moved closer to him, still not touching him. "I'm here Cas, really. Its me. You don't have to be afraid." He said desperately, wanting to find some way to comfort him. "Look at me, it's Dean. You're in my room, on my bed, completely safe." He said quietly. "You can believe me." He added.

Castiel held his head, not sure if he should believe in it but he slowly lifted his head from his knees, keeping his hands by his head. "D-Dean?" He said unsure. His eyes were back to that dull color, having a fearful and doubtful look in his eyes. He glanced around the room, still shaking a bit. "I-I'm safe?" He croaked out.

Dean felt a slight relief when Cas raised his head up, though the dull look of his eyes still made Dean's heart twist painfully. "Yeah, you're safe. It's just me, and I won't hurt you- I'll never hurt you." He said softly, watching him carefully. He slowly extended his hand, not touching Cas but offering it to him if he wanted the contact.

Castiel looked at the outstretched hand, he stared at it for a moment, unsure. He saw that it was Dean but he still had doubts. He slowly moved one of his hands from his head, shakily reaching his hand out. He slowly touched his fingertips to Dean's before he retracted his hand slightly, curling his fingers away before he tried again. He was scared the hand was just going to vanish so he didn't want to grab nothing. He touched Dean's fingertips hesitantly, resting his on his. He slowly moved his hand more into Dean's as the other hand slowly slipped from his head. "Dean... Dean. Dean." Castiel called, putting his hand fully into his. "I was so scared..." He choked out. He squeezed Dean's hand tightly.

Dean let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding as Cas took his hand. He scooted closer to him, still hesitant to touch him in case Cas was still shaken up but wanting to be close. "It's okay, you're safe now. I'm right here for you." He said, squeezing his hand.

Castiel held onto Dean's hand tightly, like if he let go it would disappear. He was still curled up with his knees to his chest. He didn't respond to Dean yet. He was still working out reality and dream in his head.

Dean shifted slightly closer, watching Cas for any sign that he was making him uncomfortable. "It's just me. Take all the time you want, I don't mind." He said soothingly as he tentatively raised his other hand. He slowly moved it over and rested it lightly on Cas's shoulder, still watching him.

Castiel took slow breaths but he felt something touch his shoulder and he jumped, eyes shooting open to see who that was. He swallowed, turning his head back, this time keeping his eyes open to calm himself. He mumbled a sorry. He squeezed himself closer, he was still in a bit of panic.

Dean moved his hand off when Cas flinched, hovering over his shoulder again. "No, it's okay, I should've asked or warned you." Dean said in response to Cas's apology. "Do you want me to get you anything?" He offered lamely, wishing he knew how to comfort him more.

Castiel let out a shaky breath, he didn't want Dean to go but he did. He needed a few moments to get his mind together. "I...I think I would like that tea now." He told him. He needed something to calm his nerves. He felt bad and guilty that he accused him. He swallowed, feeling that sick twisting.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, of course. I'll be right back." He said, giving Cas's hand a small squeeze before standing up and going out the door. Castiel appreciated the gesture. He wrapped his arms around his knees, sitting there counting.

Dean got the tea and a mug out, running a hand through his hair while he waited for the water to heat up. He sighed, feeling completely useless to Cas but not knowing what else he could do to help him. It looked like Sam went out, since he went down earlier but he wasn't here. Dean didn't even think about eating, he wasn't hungry, his mind was too busy with Cas to be eating.

Castiel slowly exhaled at certain numbers. He started reciting in enochian, calming himself. He glanced over at Dean's pillow, grabbing it and hugging it close. He uncurled himself slightly, his mind slowly restarting and working again. He sat there quietly, now feeling alone.

Dean returned a few moments later, carefully holding the steaming mug out for Cas so he could take the handle. "Careful, it's hot." He warned, glancing up at him and seeing that he was huddled up with his pillow. He sat down next to him, not close enough to be touching, and watched him worriedly.

Castiel took the mug gratefully. He held it in his hands, enjoying the warmth it had. He kept the pillow close to him, looking down at the mug. He felt Dean's eyes on him, he glanced over at Dean, seeing the worry. He looked down at the mug, looking sad. "I'm sorry I treated you like that." He apologized quietly.

"No, it's okay, understand. You were scared- you don't have to apologize for it." Dean replied immediately. "Are you okay though?" He asked quietly. He didn't mind how Cas acted, but he hated /why/ he did. He must have been having a nightmare of the attack or something similar, and the thought worried Dean.

Castiel looked at the mug, tracing the rim with his thumb. "I will be." He said softly. He raised the mug up, slowly blowing the steam away and took a sip. He occasionally stopped and sipped on it. He didn't know what to say, he was still a little shaken up.

Dean nodded, looking down at his hands so he wasn't just staring at Cas. He couldn't stop himself from glancing sideways a few times though, waiting for him to say something. He didn't know how to comfort Cas because he was never the one for words, he was better with actions. So what could he do if Cas flinched at every touch? It wasn't his fault Dean knew, but it left him feeling helpless to do anything for him. "It'll get better." He said softly when Cas didn't say anything, though the words seemed meaningless.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, he didn't know what to say to that but he felt a bit better at the words. He never expected Dean to comfort him with words since he knew Dean wasn't one to voice how he felt. He looked back at the mug and drank whatever was left before he put it aside. He started scooting closer to Dean, pressing their sides together. He was more awake now and calm. He knew that Dean wouldn't hurt him, he knew that now, but not when he first woke up. He leaned against him, "I know...you're here." he said softly.

Dean moved his arm to wrap around his shoulders gently, resting it there once he thought Cas was alright with it. "I am here, and I always will be." He said softly. He paused, letting out a breath, and glanced over at him as he leaned against him. "Look, Cas, I know I don't have any idea what this is like. I can sorta guess what you're feeling and thinking, but I don't actually have a clue. I wish I could make this all better, I wish I could just take away your pain, but I couldn't protect you from it and I can't change that now..." He trailed off, swallowing before he continued. "But I'll do whatever I can to help you now. I'm going to be here to stay up all night with you or pet your hair until you fall asleep. I'll bring you all the coffee and tea in the world if that's what'll make you feel better. And even if you don't know what you want or need, I'll be right here to help you figure it out." He told Cas, the words coming out in a soft, desperate rush.

Castiel looked up at him when he first started talking. He felt a rush of a different emotion that it almost eased away all the other emotions he was feeling. He felt the swell of deep affection that Dean tried to put what he was thinking into words, he tried and that's all that mattered to Castiel. He was that worried about him, he cared that much, he wanted to be there for him. He sat up more, looking at Dean. He reached up to touch Dean's cheek, tilting their heads together. He rested his forehead against Dean's before leaning in and giving him a kiss. "Thank you Dean. You being here means a lot to me. You offering me what you can is so meaningful to me and thank you for putting it into words. I know it wasn't easy, but you trying for me makes me fall a little bit more for you...I think that's an understatement. I fall for you a lot more each day and sometimes it hits me in waves of how much." He told him softly.

Dean smiled slightly, glad that Cas appreciated his effort. Cas saying how much he'd fallen for him served to send a warm tingling through his chest and he squeeze Cas's shoulders lightly. "Well, I know what that feels like at least. It almost scares me a little sometimes, realizing just how much I care about you." He admitted quietly.

Castiel blushed slightly, having Dean trying to express himself in words and telling him how he feels was having an effect on him. He smiled a little at Dean, the first smile he smiled since what happened. He leaned into Dean again, kissing him softly. "I would say I'm sorry for scaring you a little but I'm too happy that you said that to apologize." He told him. He slowly relaxed, being calmed by Dean. His eyes had cleared up and he was completely aware again.

Dean returned the kiss happily and grinned, a wave of relief washing over him at the sight of Cas smiling again. He hadn't realized just how much he'd missed seeing Cas happy. "That's okay, you don't have to apologize. But next time you want to hear how much I care about you, maybe just ask." He joked, leaning over to kiss Cas's cheek.

Castiel smiled a bit more, finding Dean's hand and lacing his fingers through. "Yeah? Any time I want?" He asked. He looked up at Dean, enjoying how happy he looked that he was smiling again. He squeezed Dean's hand. "That's a lot of power you're giving me." He said.

Dean chuckled, holding Cas's hand happily. "Yeah, well, I hope you use the power wisely." He replied with a grin, glad that they could talk and even joke again. It felt like ages since they had been lying in this same bed and Dean had been paying Cas in kisses. "If you get me to tell you too often, you'll get bored with it." He said.

"I don't think so. If they're coming from you. I would never get bored of them." Castiel replied to him. He looked at Dean, feeling a lot better now. "I would never tire of words that mean affection. Mostly when they're sincere from you."

"Well, they won't always be poetic, but they'll always be sincere." Dean replied, smiling. He was glad Cas only cared that he was saying them and not how they were said. "And if you won't get tired of hearing it, I won't get tired of saying it."

Castiel held Dean's hand, "It's okay if you don't usually express yourself in words, actions speak a lot as well. You are a man of action and I will still like you either way." He smiled softly. He leaned onto Dean. He knew that Dean would blew it aside if he said he was sorry but he still felt the need to apologize for accusing him of something so wrong. "I'm sorry. I know you said it was fear but it must not have been pleasant to hear that." He said.

"It's okay." Dean replied simply, leaning his head against his. It had hurt him to see Cas like that and scared him when Cas doubted who he was, but it wasn't Cas's fault so Dean didn't feel the need to tell him that. He already forgave him for it, so there was no point in telling him how unpleasant it had been- especially since Cas was pretty much back to himself now.

Dean spent the day walking around the whole situation cautiously, not sure what was going to trigger an attack and what will. Castiel didn't eat at all, he drank water and when he tried to eat something, it would just come back out. Dean did everything he could to make sure Cas was okay and comfortable, but Cas didn't leave the bed at all.

When night time finally came, Dean sat down next to Cas again, setting aside a glass of water for him. Dean reached over and brushed Cas's hair back a little.

Castiel sat quietly, holding Dean's other hand. His eyes started drooping a bit again since he was relaxed but he was too scared to sleep. "I don't want to go back to sleep Dean..." He mumbled.

"That's okay, you don't have to." Dean replied, giving his hand a squeeze. He was admittedly pretty tired himself, but he'd said that he would stay up with Cas and he meant it. He was more than happy to miss out on a few hours of sleep if it helped Cas. "We can stay up as long as you want."

Castiel squeezed Dean's hand, "I want to sleep, but I'm scared to sleep." He said quietly.

Dean nodded, thinking. "Well, I'll hold you if you want, but that didn't seem to keep the nightmares away last time." He said, frowning slightly. He wasn't sure what he could do to help Cas have a good sleep. "I know how to help you fall asleep, like petting your hair or singing, but I don't know how to keep away the bad dreams." he said softly, looking at Cas again.

"I'm not all too sure either. I normally don't dream, it rarely happens but when it does...it's never very pleasant." Castiel mumbled. He was half asleep on Dean's shoulder, they have yet to lay down so they were sitting there. He blinked a bit to keep himself up but he yawned instead, wiping his eyes. "I know that you holding me would give me nightmares but I really like you holding me..." he said softly. He sat there quietly for a moment, closing his eyes. "Will you sing to me?" he asked in a sleep filled voice.

"Of course." Dean replied softly, glancing over at Cas and smiling slightly at how endearing it was to see him so close to being asleep. He thought for a moment, thinking of a song, before quietly starting to sing All of Me. He slowly rubbed Cas's shoulder, leaning his head against Cas's as he sang.

Castiel smiled softly against Dean, still having his eyes closed. He listened to the words, letting it lull him back to sleep. Love. He vaguely heard Dean singing. Love was such a peculiar thing to him, he didn't understand how would you know if you loved someone. What was it like? Was it like how he felt about Dean? Was it more than that? Did he love Dean? Love? He fell asleep on that thought, dreaming of him and Dean in love, but all he saw was them being the same as they were now. It was a nice dream he had, he didn't think of dark things after that. Just Dean.

Dean finished the song softly, glancing over at Cas to be sure he was asleep. His face looked peaceful, undisturbed by nightmares, and Dean smiled at how relaxed he looked. He kissed his head gently and closed his eyes as his lips pressed against his hair, hoping that Cas would stay this peaceful, now and every night.

"That's a good song for us, huh?" Dean murmured quietly as he pulled away, watching Cas as he slept for a moment before looking up at his room. "I dunno if you love me, but I guess either way wouldn't change how I feel. You'd probably be better off if you didn't, actually." He glanced over at Cas to be certain his words weren't waking him and grinned. "You definitely wouldn't like me saying that about myself, so I'm glad you're asleep for this." He whispered with a smirk before looking back at the wall and becoming serious again. "I still think you'd be better off with someone else. Someone who could protect you. Someone with less problems that can help you better than I ever can." He sighed softly and looked back at Cas, a small smile tugging at his lips. "But even if you don't love me, even if you wake up tomorrow and realize that I'm not much more than a pretty face with a lot of baggage who doesn't know what the hell he's doing, even if you leave and never come back..." He trailed off, taking a shaky breath and listening to Cas's even breathing before continuing. "Even if you don't feel the way I do…..I'll still love you. I'll always love you." He whispered, voice barely audible even to himself, almost afraid to say them aloud. "It took me long enough to figure that out though, didn't it?" He said with a smile, watching Cas sleep as his own eyelids began to droop. "Damn, Cas, the cheesiest, sappiest, most chick flick speech I've ever made, and you slept right through it." He murmured with a grin, leaning his head back against Cas's. "That's alright, it put me to sleep too." He added, already on the brink of unconsciousness. He laid them down, making sure the blanket was around Cas and it was comfortable. He watched for just a moment. It didn't take long for him to slip peacefully to sleep, his dreams consisting of the warm feeling in his chest that he had only just identified.

Castiel wasn't aware of anything Dean said but his dreams went along with whatever Dean had said. He was trying to tell Dean that he was not whatever he thought he was, that he was more than that. He drifted into a deep sleep, only to hear what Dean said in his subconscious, but what did he say? He has a nice dream, they were together and that's what mattered. Castiel slept through the night and through most of the morning, not yet waking up.


	12. We'll Make A Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone needs at least one person to help them up when they fall down. Dean wants to convince to Cas that he wants to help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PARTY!! Another chapter out for you lovelies! The chapters should be happier soon, so no more angst for you guys.

Dean woke up slowly, blinking his eyes open to find himself laying beside Cas, his arm still around him. He smiled, glad he was still sleeping peacefully, and leaned over to kiss his forehead softly. He briefly considered making breakfast and bringing it up to him for when he woke up, but realized he'd probably be upset if he woke up alone.

Castiel woke up not long after Dean, slowly waking up. He woke up feeling a lot better. He could feel an arm around him, but he wasn't bothered. He blinked to wake up to these green eyes. He relaxed into the bed, he wanted to wake up each morning and know those were what he would see.

"Good morning Dean..." He murmured. He smiled a little at him, glad that he was still here.

"Morning Cas." Dean replied, smiling at how calm he seemed. It was definitely a better awakening than the one he'd had yesterday. "I was thinking I'd make you breakfast today." he offered. "Do you think you'll be able to eat some?" he asked.

Castiel rubbed his eyes a little, looking at Dean drowsily. He smiled a little at him, "Do I get an amazing bowl of cereal?" He asked softly, he didn't know if he'd be able to hold it down but he wanted to try again.

"Well, I bet I can make some pretty amazing toast too. Some eggs maybe, a glass of juice. Breakfast is easier than other meals." Dean replied with a chuckle. "But you can have the best bowl of cereal you've ever had too."

Castiel laughed lightly, feeling pretty good this morning, at least better than what he has been. He looked at Dean softly, "Surprise me." He said. "I'll eat anything you make." He added sincerely. He thought it was endearing that Dean wanted to make him breakfast this morning. "Are you going to eat with me?" He asked.

Dean nodded and grinned. "Of course. I'll eat with you." He replied, getting a little excited for it. This was the first time he'd actually made something for Cas without his help, and he hoped it'd be good. "I'll be right back with your surprise breakfast." He smiled, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before getting up and going downstairs.

Castiel smiled a little at how happy Dean looked. He hummed softly as Dean left. He laid there in bed, not wanting to get up. He should go to the bathroom but he figured staying in bed would probably be best, to suppress memories. He stared at the spot that Dean was laying in before. He felt like he was forgetting something really important. He couldn't put his finger on it though. Was it something Dean said? Did he forget something? Was he supposed to do something? He scrunched his eyebrows slightly, he couldn't figure it out. He reached out again and took Dean's pillow and squeezed out close. He felt a bubble of happiness and a flutter in his stomach. Dean was making him something and it was really sweet of him. He squeezed Dean's pillow again, laying into it. He hoped time would pass quickly so Dean would come back.

Dean came up a while later, balancing a tray of food. He had a few pieces of toast that he'd had to scrape the burned parts off of, not even sure how he'd managed to burn them. He also had scrambled eggs that were a tad too over seasoned but still presentable, two glasses of orange juice, and a bowl of cereal in case Cas didn't like what he'd made. "Here we go. Not as good as anything you've made, but I have jam and peanut butter for the toast and the eggs are pretty okay." He said, grinning sheepishly.

Castiel sat up a bit, feeling the soreness now and a sharp pain from his bottom. He didn't exactly wince so it wasn't too noticeable. He sat up and looked at Dean with a smile, keeping his pillow on his lap. He felt a swell of affection and happiness that Dean made him breakfast. "It looks wonderful Dean. Thank you." He said.

Castiel patted the spot next to him. "Let's eat together then." He added. He took a plate of the eggs and a piece of toast, trying the eggs first. They were a bit over seasoned but Castiel didn't mind in the least, he still smiled while he ate them. He was hungry but he wasn't going to wolf down the food, he wanted to savor them. Plus he didn't want to get sick. He took the jam and peanut butter for the toast and lightly coated it. He bit off of it, laughing a little at how much crunch it had. "I actually do like my toast a bit more on the toasted side." He told Dean. He sipped on the orange juice, setting it aside. "I really enjoy this Dean. Thank you." He smiled at Dean affectionately. He was still eating through his food but he wanted to tell Dean how much he was enjoying it.

Dean watched Cas take the first few bites of everything, grinning when he smiled and said he enjoyed it. "I'm glad you like it." He replied, grabbing some toast and smearing peanut butter on it. "I think this proves that I should leave the cooking to you, but it's the thought that counts, right?" He said with a chuckle, eating through the toast and taking the other glass of orange juice.

Castiel laughed lightly, humming. "I don't know, I think I would enjoy you cooking for me. Probably not always since I really like cooking for you. I like seeing you smile, helping me cook, being very fanatic over pie." He said. "It's also relaxing to me, but I do appreciate the thought and it wasn't inedible. It was good." He added.

Dean laughed, eating some of the eggs. "Well, I was aiming for edible, so good is above what I expected." He replied, washing the eggs down with some orange juice. "And I like helping you cook. And getting too excited about your pies." He added with a grin, setting his plate aside.

Castiel finished the last bite of toast and drank the rest of the orange juice. The orange juice made him refreshed so he was quite awake. He set his plate aside as well, "I enjoy how happy you look when you eat my food." He looked over at Dean, hugging his pillow again. He glanced over at Dean as he squeezed the pillow, "I replaced you while you were away. I was lonely." He laughed a little.

"So while I was slaving to make you a five star meal, you replace me with a pillow?" Dean replied with a grin before crossing his arms and frowning exaggeratedly. "I'm hurt and offended." He informed Cas, glancing over at him. He was also really glad Cas had managed to eat, it's been almost 3 days since he last ate something and not just threw it up after.

"Your five star meal lacked stars. 5 of them." Castiel teased. "I'm sorry you feel that way. I'll tell my Dean pillow about your feeling and we'll talk then." He said. "Would you like me to take you back?" He asked, looking over at Dean.

Dean gasped in mock offense at Cas's comment about the quality of his meal. "Hey, that meal was at least one star." He said. "And yes, I do want you to take me back. Even though you were very rude about my breakfast." He added, fighting a grin.

Castiel laughed lightly, putting aside the pillow. He looked back at Dean, opening his arms toward him. "I suppose I can take you back." He said.

Dean grinned and moved into his arms, holding Cas around his middle and pulling him in close. "Good. I'm warmer than the pillow anyway." He replied with a chuckle. "And it's a little less weird to have me instead of it." He added, leaning over and kissing Cas lightly.

Castiel returned his kiss, hugging Dean. "Mmm, you are very warm." He commented. "Also a lot comfier than a pillow." he smiled a little. He looked up at Dean, "Plus pillows don't have freckles and candy apple green eyes that I enjoy so much." he said. "I did enjoy your meal though, so I hope you didn't take my comment to heart." he added.

Dean smiled, looking up at him. "Candy apple green, huh? I'm glad you chose me over my pillow then." He said with a grin. "And I know you loved my breakfast, no matter how much you insulted it." He added with a laugh.

Castiel hugged Dean closely, putting his head into Dean's neck. "I did. It was very sweet of you to cook for me." he said. "I'm very touched." he added, smiling a little. "Besides, your pillow can't talk to me like you can. I would be even more lonely." he replied.

"Well I hope my pillow doesn't talk to you at all." Dean teased. "And it can't sing either. Then how would fall asleep, if nothing was singing or talking to you?" He replied with a chuckle, leaning his head gently against Cas's.

"I was wrong, the pillow cannot even compare to what you are. I'm happy you let me take you back then." Castiel laughed lightly. "No arms to keep me safe, no laughter to share, no smile to light up my day." he said softly. "No emotions to express, no ears to listen, no one to tell me it'll be okay..." he hugged Dean close. "No soft caresses, no gentle kisses, no tight hugs." he added. "The pillow doesn't come close to a spec in comparison to what you are."

Dean smiled softly, tightening his grip around Cas as he felt the warmth in his chest from his words. "I'm glad you took me back too. I wouldn't have anyone to hold, to sit on my lap, to make me incredible meals and put up with me. I don't even know what I'd do without you." He replied quietly. "Plus I wouldn't have a pillow either." He added, breaking into a grin.

Castiel rubbed his face against Dean's, feeling comforted by Dean and it was really nice. He always kept the words of Dean close to his heart, remembering every time he had ever expressed himself. He snuggled against Dean, "I'm okay with that. I've already declared you're my personal pillow and protection before." he said.

Deans smile faltered slightly at the thought of being Cas's protection. He hadn't been much more use than a pillow would have been when Cas was attacked. He tightened his arms around Cas slightly, trying to stay in the light hearted mood. "I do make a damn good personal pillow." He replied, chuckling slightly.

Castiel felt Dean squeeze him a little tighter, but he wasn't all too sure why. He glanced up at Dean, just looking at him. He lightly touched his cheek and kissed the other one. "You do." he said softly. He didn't know what was on Dean's mind, but he hoped it wasn't bad.

Dean hesitated, part of him wanting to talk to Cas about it, but a larger part convinced himself not to. He would bury the feeling for now- there was no point in bringing it up because he already knew Cas would try to console him, and there was no way he was going to let Cas comfort him about what happened. So he just smiled, leaning over to kiss Cas's lips lightly. "So. What do you want to do today?" He asked before Cas could question what was on his mind. He figured Cas probably wouldn't want to move much, but he decided he'd ask anyway.

Castiel looked at Dean after, "I'm not exactly sure of what I'm capable of today. I have managed to eat a little but I would like to stay indoors though." he said softly. He wasn't just sore, he had some slight pain from his bottom so moving didn't sound very desirable.

A few moments later the door swung open with Sam saying, "You can't just barge in, it's courteous to knock." he sighed.

"Well they have two seconds to make themselves decent. One, two. Hey bitches." Charlie walked into the room to see them sitting in an half an embrace. "Long time no see. So we brought movies and things that will make your teeth rot, come join us." she grinned.

Kevin popped his head in after, "We made ourselves at home and made a blanket area for us to watch." he said. "Hi Castiel, Dean." he greeted.

Castiel looked really surprised and happy. "Charlie, Kevin. It's nice to see you two." he smiled a little. For the moment, he forgot what has happened. He hasn't seen Charlie and Kevin for so long. He has missed them as well.

"I know." Charlie replied, flipping her hair a little before she laughed. "C'mon, you can princess carry the unicorn. We're going to watch a bunch of crappy movies to make fun of them." she said.

Sam looked over at Dean and Castiel, seeing them much better than what they were yesterday. He let out a small breath of relief, "I tried surprising you two. So...Surprise." he said.

Dean looked up at the and grinned, glad they were here. "Hey guys, what's up?" He said, slightly releasing his hold on Cas. "Well this was definitely a surprise, so good job. You guys already set up a place to watch movies? That's awesome." He said with a laugh. He shifted his arms around Cas before standing up, holding Cas with him with a grin. "Well let's go check it out."

Castiel hooked his arms around Dean laughing a little, "Am I a princess or am I a unicorn?" He asked.

Charlie shrugged, turning around. "You're a rare unicorn princess." She replied.

Kevin laughed a little, "That sounds so feminine. Why can't he be a prince?" He asked.

"Hmm I like princess better." Charlie smiled at Kevin.

"Does he not have a say in what he's being called?" Sam asked.

"No. That's what nicknames are." Charlie told them. They were all walking downstairs and there was a lot of pillows and blankets, more than there was in the house. "We brought extra stuff." said Charlie.

Kevin scoffed a little, "She brought extra, I was forced to." He said.

"Looks awesome, thanks for bringing stuff." Dean replied with a smile, setting Cas down on a blanket and pillow. "And I like Cas being a princess too." He added with a chuckle, sitting down next to him. "So what bad movies do we have to make fun of?" He asked, glancing over at them.

Charlie hummed, "I don't know but I guess we're watching Date Movie first." She grinned, putting it in. "So you guys want something to eat? We brought anything that has sugar." She smirked, putting out candy and sweets.

Castiel looked over at Dean, pretending to pout a little. "I am not a pretty princess." He joked.

"Would you rather be handsome or beautiful?" Dean asked Cas with a grin, kissing his cheek.

Sam picked up some chocolate, "Yeah giving us diabetes and cavities. Great way to spend the day." He laughed.

"That's the way you're supposed to spend thanksgiving break! You get fat!" Charlie replied.

"I think I would like to be able to see my toes." Kevin rolled his eyes.

"You're obviously not living life." Charlie pushed him slightly. "Do you want some Dean?" She asked, gesturing.

Dean glanced up at the others. "Hell yeah, I want to rot out my teeth." he replied with a grin. "Got any m&ms?" He asked, looking at what they'd brought.

"What am I to you?" Castiel asked.

Charlie nodded, "Yep, got every candy that was available. Peanut or plain? I didn't like the others so I only got those two." she said.

Dean reached over and grabbed the plain m&ms with a smile. "Hmm, I guess you're both to me." He said to Cas with a chuckle, wrapping his arm around him and pulling him close.

Kevin picked up some twizzlers, eating some. "Are we going to start the movie or not?" he asked.

Charlie rolled her eyes, "Shut up Kevin. We're getting to it." she said. "You start it." she looked over at him.

Kevin reached over and pressed play, settling back. Sam was settled on the opposite side of the blankets at the end, Kevin was next to him with Charlie in the middle of them all. She laughed lightly, "I get surrounded by attractive guys and I'm not swooning. Oh that's too bad that I'm into females." she said, settling back.

"Clearly I'm sitting next to the most attractive, and I'm almost swooning." Dean murmured to Cas with a grin as the movie started.

Castiel smiled, leaning his head against Dean. "Oh? I'm handsome and beautiful, yet you don't swoon. I always swoon in your presence." He glanced at Dean, replying quietly.

Charlie glanced at them, "Oh take your love somewhere else." She laughed lightly. "I'll just go hug Sam and Kevin then." She said before squishing Kevin against Sam.

Kevin made a grunt sound, "Ugh. I don't like being squished." He tried to wiggle his way out before Sam glomped him with Charlie, wrapping his arms over them both. "Just spreading love." He laughed, squeezing.

Kevin wheezed, "This is how I die..." He said.

Charlie laughed, making a sound at the squish. "I get two guy lovers. Awesome." She grinned.

Castiel glanced at them, then back at Dean. "I missed being here." He said softly. "I enjoy everyone talking."

Dean laughed as they smashed together, looking back at Cas and smiling. "I like having everyone over and talking too." He replied. "Even if we're not really listening." He added with a grin. "Course if Gigantor over there kills them, we might not get to do this much more." He said more loudly, chuckling.

"Hey! I'm not that big!" Sam detested. Castiel, Kevin, and Charlie looked at him incredulously. "Okay, yeah. I am really tall, but I can't help it." Sam laughed a bit.

"Give some of your height to me." Kevin mumbled.

Charlie laughed, "Girls love tall guys but not towers." she teased.

Sam rolled his eyes, "Whatever." he chuckled.

Castiel laughed lightly, "May I take one of your M&M's?" he asked.

Dean chuckled at Sam and the others before turning back to Cas and grinning. "Of course." He said, holding up an m&m and offering it to him. "Open up." He told him with a smile, putting it in Cas's mouth once he opened it.

Castiel took the M&M happily, "I didn't think you would feed me, but I'm not complaining." he let the M&M melt in his mouth before eating it. He wanted to settle in Dean's lap but he kind of hurt so he thought against it, just in case.

Sam ended up being the pillow, switching him and Kevin's places. Charlie and Kevin laid onto Sam while he laughed a little. "Why am I always the pillow?" he asked.

"You would crush us." Charlie and Kevin replied.

"You guys are jerks." he settled in more comfortably.

Charlie blindly grabbed at the candy, picking up whatever she picked up first and offered it to them. "Reese?" she asked.

Kevin looked up at her, "Thanks." he said, taking one.

Sam shook his head, "I think I'm good for now." he said. Charlie shrugged as she ate one. She glanced at Dean and Cas, thinking better not to interrupt them. Sam had vaguely told them the situation and he asked them to come over and just make Cas feel better. They were there in a heartbeat after Sam told them, they made everything casual but kept things in mind.

Dean popped another one in his mouth before offering Cas another. "I like feeding you. Especially since these are so easy." He replied with a grin. He glanced over at the others and rolled his eyes at their banter, smiling. He was sincerely glad they were here since they were definitely cheering Cas up. It was touching to know how much they cared.

Castiel slowly opened his mouth again but he pushed away slightly before he took it. His mind was making connections, being fed from Dean and his mind was thinking white. Ice cream then semen. He felt that sick feeling again, thinking of when he threw up, having to clean himself, having to swallow someone's semen. His eyes had glazed over as he got redrawn back in, he shot up, stumbling slightly because of the pain that went through him. It made the sick feeling worse. He ran to the bathroom and started throwing up. Everyone had went silent as soon as he got up. Sam untangled himself from the two, going into the kitchen. He got a bottle of water, a towel, and some medicine, just in case.

Sam handed them to Dean, "He's going to have cold sweat, the bottle of water should make him feel a bit better after he's done throwing up and calming down. Don't exactly touch him, he is probably panicking. I would go with you, but... that would be a lot of people." he explained.

Charlie and Kevin had stood up, "Is there anything we can do?" She asked.

"No, not now. Too many people is going to make it worse and too much stimulus." Sam replied.

Kevin sighed, "He's right..." he said dishearten.

Deans smile immediately dropped as Cas shot up, his earlier relaxed expression becoming pained. He listened to Sam and simply nodded in response, taking the items from him and following Cas. He felt a stab of pain at the sight of Cas clenched around the toilet, wanting nothing more than to kneel beside him and rub his back until he felt better. He remembered what Sam said, however, and instead crouched at a safe distance to not freak him out anymore. He held on to the things Sam had given him tightly, waiting for Cas to finish before he would offer them to him.

Castiel dry heaved a few times, his eyes watering from throwing up, little goosebumps were rising on his skin from the feeling. He flushed down the contents, just resting his head there as he panted. He had his eyes closed though he really should have them open. His eyes slowly blinked open to see Dean crouching a distance away. He was still evening his breath, swallowing away the taste in his mouth that he couldn't shake. He just rested there, not moving as he slumped on the ground.

Dean watched him, concern obvious on his features. "Do you want some water?" He asked, offering him the towel, water, and medicine. He hated seeing Cas in so much pain and so full of self disgust, but he stayed at his safe distance away. If Cas wanted him closer, he'd let him know and he'd happily comply- but for now he simply looked at him from afar. It made his stomach churn that he couldn't do anything other than offer him some water and a towel.

Castiel laid there, feeling himself shaking a little. He slowly evened his breathing, still seeing the memories bounce back and forth. He opened his eyes to not think about it. He saw the concern on Dean's face and he felt bad that he was always dragging Dean's mood with his. He nodded a little to the offer, he wanted to wash away the lasting taste and to just feel better. He didn't know if he wanted Dean close yet, he was still having some panic so he didn't say anything yet.

Dean opened the bottle for him, holding it out so he could take it. "Here you go." He said quietly.

Underneath the massive concern he felt for Cas, there was still a broiling anger directed at the ones who did this him. Dean wanted to beat them into a bloody pulp for what they did to Cas, for the scars they'd left in his mind. They would certainly be sorry for what they'd done if he ever ran into them.

Castiel took the water gratefully, shaking just slightly. He sipped on the water, feeling the cool refreshing taste. He sipped on it slowly, trying not to take to much so he wouldn't get sick again. He slumped there for a moment, brushing his hair back roughly to get it to stop sticking to his forehead.

"I...I hate feeling like this..." he commented, "Why? I was okay just a few moments ago..." he sounded so sad.

Dean fought back a wince at how sad and confused Cas sounded. "Something must have triggered your memory, reminded you of what happened or something." He replied quietly, knowing it must have been something he'd said or done since Cas had been focused on him.

Castiel rested his head again, drinking more water, he felt embarrassed because he just left everyone and he doesn't know if they knew. How were they going to react? What if they already knew? That sounded even more embarrassing. He looked at Dean, he wasn't freaking out as much but he felt disgusting. He slowly sat up a little before he crawled over to Dean and collapsed, he knew he felt disgusting but he wanted help.

Dean slowly put his arm around Cas after he came over, wishing there was more he could do for him. "Do you feel any better?" He asked quietly. "I can tell the others to leave if you want me to." He added, thinking that Cas may not want to face them after this.

Castiel shuddered slightly. "I don't know..." He said softly. "I don't want to make them go but I don't want to face them...I haven't seen them in a long time either..." He added. He felt groggy, sluggish, sad, and disgusting. He just laid there, letting Dean hold him slightly.

"They can always come back some other time." Dean replied, stroking his shoulder gently. "Just take your time and don't worry about it." He said, not wanting to move just as Cas had come over to lean on him. He figured when he was feeling a bit better he'd just ask the others to leave, they definitely would understand.

Castiel glanced up at Dean before he turned away completely, hiding his face. He didn't like feeling so emotional. He was not used to feeling so many emotions or crying. He wanted to shove away the feelings or just not feel them. He let out shaky breaths, holding on Dean just a little. He didn't feel like doing anything. He didn't know what even to say or how he felt.

"Don't worry, it's fine. They care about you, they'll understand." Dean told him softly, holding him gently. "It's okay to not be okay. I know it's not a good feeling and I'm sorry, but you don't have to push it all away for anyone." He continued, leaning over slightly to try to catch his eye without turning his head.

Castiel held onto Dean a bit tighter, he knew that his face and eyes would be expressing so many emotions so he didn't meet Dean's eyes when he felt it come upon him. He nodded a little, but he felt upset. He had all day to go through and it has already turned bad. He thought today would be nice since it started all great but he ended up throwing it all up and he just felt worse. He had threw up all of Dean's hard work. His heart twisted painfully, another shudder running through him.

Dean held him just a little tighter as he felt another shudder run through him. He wished he knew what Cas was thinking so he could banish all of his doubts, but he wouldn't even meet his eye. He sat quietly, not knowing what else to say but wanting to be there for him.

Castiel held onto him, twisting Dean's shirt just slightly. He let out a few more shaky breaths before he sat up more. He didn't meet Dean's gaze, he was nervous and guilty. "I'm...I'm sorry." he said quietly. He swallowed thickly.

"No, it's really okay. You don't have to apologize." Dean replied, not wanting Cas to feel sorry for something he couldn't control. "It's not your fault." He added, noticing that Cas still wouldn't look up at him but not wanting to push him.

Castiel bit his lower lip, before turning and hugging Dean around his shoulders and burying his head into Dean's neck. "I...I threw up your breakfast... I ruined their plans..." he choked out. "I thought today was going to be better..." he said softly.

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas, hugging him close. "It's okay. I'll make you breakfast whenever you want and they can come back some other time. You didn't ruin anything." He told him softly.

Castiel made a sad sound in Dean's neck, he squeezed Dean tightly. "But today was the first time you did...today was the first time I saw them back...it's not okay..." he replied. "I was being so cautious but it didn't even work." he let out a shaky breath.

"It's not your fault, Cas." Dean replied, holding him tightly. "You can't blame yourself for this. We'll figure out what triggered it and I'll help you avoid it. I know that's not much help right now, but it'll make it easier later." He offered.

Castiel kept quiet for a moment. "Feeding me." he said softly. He knew what triggered it but he didn't even want to tell Dean that since he loved it when Dean fed him, but it made him recall the day before and what happened before the incident. "Hand feeding me." he said again in a choked out sound.

Dean felt his heart drop straight to his stomach. He knew it had been something he'd done. He paused for a moment before replying, making sure his voice was even and not wrecked with the guilt he felt. "Then we'll just stay away from that for a while." He said calmly.

Castiel squeezed Dean again, "This...this...what /happened/." he swallowed. "I can't even do the things I love most when I'm with you because I'm scared. I don't...I want this over...I don't want to wait...I don't want to have attacks. I don't want to feel like this." he sniffled, wanting to cry again.

Dean tightened his hold on Cas, hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry. I wish everything could go back to how they were. I hate that you have to go through this." He replied softly, heart twisting painfully at the emotion in Cas's voice. Castiel whimpered softly, not moving his head from Dean's neck. He didn't cry, he just stayed in a hug with Dean.

A soft knock was on the door, "Cas, Dean? You guys okay?" Sam asked calmly.

Charlie's voice came after, "We'll get you guys something, anything." she said worriedly.

Kevin added in as well, "We can leave and come back another time if you need us to." he said.

Dean glanced down at Cas. He didn't really seem like he was in the best state to be hanging out with people, and he knew they'd understand. "Yeah, we're okay." Relatively at least, he added silently. "Maybe it'd be good if you came back some other time." He added.

Charlie, Sam, and Kevin exchanged glances in front of the closed door. Charlie frowned, "Okay...Feel better Castiel." she said softly.

Kevin spoke after her, "We can make plans anytime you want. We're here for your too." he added.

Castiel felt slightly happy at their words but sad, he had people to care for him but he couldn't even face them. He nodded a little into Dean's neck, but didn't make a response. He felt that sickening twist in his heart that made him want to cry and throw up but he didn't.

Dean get a slight relief that they were being so understanding, hoping it made Cas feel a little better. "Thanks guys." He replied loudly enough for them to hear, responding for Cas and himself both. He rubbed Cas's back gently, trying to soothe him as much as he could.

"We'll see you guys later then, if not. We'll see you in school." Charlie said.

Sam give them a side hug, "Thanks for coming guys. I'm sorry you have to leave." He said quietly.

Kevin shook his head, "No it's fine, we understand." He replied before all of them went downstairs to get their things.

Castiel tensed up. School. He had forgot all about that. What if people found out? Would the bullying be worse? How would he handle school without Dean always being there? Would he be better by then? What if he had an attack in school? He squeezed Dean tightly, this was scary. His breathing started to pick up, school.

Dean felt Cas tense and squeeze him tighter and he frowned slightly. "Cas? What's wrong? We'll see them again whenever you want, they don't mind." He said, confused on what was upsetting him before he felt his quickened breath. "Cas...calm down, they're not leaving forever. They'll be back."

"...School. I...I haven't been back to school either..." Castiel replied. "And after this...What if they know? What happens if I...if I have an attack in school and you're not there? What if things gets worse?" he asked with a fearful tone. "I don't know what to do about school Dean..."

"Hey, it's going to be okay." Dean replied, realizing why he'd be scared. The thought worried him too, but he kept it out of his voice for Cas. "You can miss a couple of days if you need to. And no one will know because no one will tell them. If you have an attack at school just go to the bathroom or the nurse or something, text me, and I'll figure out how to get to you." He said. "It'll be okay, I won't just leave you to deal with it."

Castiel nodded against Dean, he still felt scared. School wasn't going to come around for another few days and the days already felt really long but that still felt really short to him. He didn't know how Dean would ever put up with all this, all his pains, bullying, his family, his mental issues. He didn't understand why Dean tried so hard for him when he was just some ordinary person with a bad background. He held onto Dean, just clinging onto him like life depended on it. No matter how much he knew he wasn't worth it, he wanted to cling desperately to Dean. He was the one thing that kept him sane.

Dean felt Cas clinging on to him, knowing he was still afraid. He held him tightly, hoping that school wouldn't be too bad. There hadn't been too many issues with bullying for a while before school had let out, but Cas had also been gone for almost a month. If he'd been protective over Cas before, he was going to be even more so when they got back. Dean hadn't been able to protect Cas from all the bullies, his attackers, or even from his own father, but he wasn't going to let this keep happening. He was determined to be better, to be the sort of person Cas deserved.

Castiel just kept his head there, "Dean...can we go lay down?" he asked quietly.

He was all too aware of everything now and he knew he was in the bathroom but he kept thinking back of yesterday of having to clean himself and just the thought of him throwing up. He wanted to get out of the bathroom and he didn't want to see it so he hid his face in Dean's neck.

Dean glanced down at him and nodded. "Yeah, of course." He replied, not having to shift much since Cas was already clinging to him. He stood up, holding Cas to him, and managed to open the door and walk over to his bedroom. He sat down on the bed with Cas still holding on to him, letting him move when he wanted to.

Castiel let out a soft breath when Dean sat them down on the bed. He still held onto Dean, finding him as his comfort and grounding. He didn't want to move. Was he going to always have to be like this? When were things going to get better? He couldn't always rely on Dean for everything. He had to be able to fend for himself and take care of himself. He shouldn't have to depend so much on Dean for every little thing. Despite him saying that, he didn't let go of Dean. He was conflicted on what he wanted.

Dean scooted back against the headboard, keeping Cas with him. He didn't mind him staying so close, especially if it made him feel better. He didn't have any idea how long Cas would have trouble with this or how much he would need him, but Dean was fine with helping him as long as Cas wanted him to.

Castiel clung on to Dean for a while, not saying anything. His mind started exhausting itself from all the questions, worries, doubts, fears and Dean's warmth with his steady heartbeat made him drowsy. He fell into a restless sleep, occasionally making small broken sounds and words. Sam lightly knocked on the door before he came in. He glanced to see Dean holding Castiel tightly, but no words were exchanged or movement.

Sam arched a brow a little, mouthing. "Is he asleep?" he asked. "I have something really important to tell you." he added quietly.

Dean looked up at Sam and frowned, not particularly liking the sound of that. He glanced down at Cas and back up with Sam, nodding slightly. "Yeah, I think so. What's up?" He asked quietly to not wake him up.

Sam shifted his weight to one leg, "I got the call from the station. They caught the guys who did this to Cas. They found them passed out in a bar and parking lot. I left Dad a message on his phone when you took Cas home, just in case he saw them. He was the person who found them and he apparently beat the living shit out of them before calling in the police to report." he explained quietly. "You didn't tell me, he was leaving." he added. "He isn't here and he just left me a voicemail saying that he hoped he repaid you back a little for whatever happened. It was the least he could do and he told us to take care of each other." he finished quietly. "What happened when you were talking with Dad?" he asked. "Actually, we're allowed to go to the station if you want, but I don't think you should because of a lot of reasons."

"Shit, Sam, I'm sorry. I was going to talk to you about it but then everything happened and..." Dean trailed off, shaking his head slightly. "He found someone else. She has a son younger than us, and Dad's going to try to get his life together for them. He apologized for all the shit he put us through." He paused, thinking back on the conversation that felt like it had happened ages ago. "I think he really meant it this time." He added quietly. He looked back up at Sam. "So he really beat the shit out of them, huh? Good." He muttered, though as far as he was concerned they'd still gotten off easy. "Cas probably won't want to see them, but I bet he'll be glad to know they're locked up. So there are a lot of reasons you don't think I should go see them?" He asked, though he figured he already knew a few of them.

Sam let out a small breath, nodding a little. "Another kid huh? Well it's something..." he said. "Yeah he apparently did a real number on them, kept their face in good shape though for identification. Kids were too scared to say who did it. Apparently Dad told me that he told them that the kid they raped had a boyfriend who would probably skin them alive, literally." he huffed a small laugh. Sam looked at Dean seriously, "It would probably be the best idea not to. One, Cas wouldn't want to go and he's already asleep so there's no need to wake him up, you're the only one who can probably calm him down, it would do worse for him than good if he saw them, you would probably see blood red if you saw them too." he listed a few things. "I don't even think I would hold you back if you lunged at them but then you would be charged. Oh, I told Charlie about these guys and she's scraping up whatever she can to put them in a longer sentence and something more sturdy to hold them." he said. He looked at Dean softly after, "...You really care about Cas don't you." he stated.

Dean knew Sam was right about not going to see them, and knowing Charlie was on it helped him not be so vengeful. He still wished he could actually skin them alive, but he wasn't going to leave Cas for that. He glanced up at Sam when he asked if he cared about Cas. "What, you're just figuring that out?" He joked lightly, though he knew Sam probably meant more than just caring about him.

Sam rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean Dean." he said quietly. "You were a complete mess when Cas disappeared and like exactly that day he comes back, your demeanor and attitude changed completely. I'm not exaggerating when I say you guys have your own little world... like I could walk in and just see you guys hugging and it seems to be more intimate than if I walked in while you two are having sex." he gave Dean a certain look but didn't say anything. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone and opened a picture he took yesterday. It was of Cas looking at Dean while he was setting up his pie. He held it out for Dean to see before he flipped to one of them looking at each other. Their private smiles, brushing of arms, the pure form of affections in each other's eyes. "You really care about Cas. More than I am saying but we both know what I mean." he finished quietly.

Dean looked at the pictures, seeing the affection between them. "Damn, I didn't realize we looked that obvious." He joked quietly before looking back at Sam and getting serious again. So Sam knew- he might have even figured it out before Dean had. "Yeah. I do." He replied simply, glancing down at Cas quickly before back up to Sam.

Sam smiled a little at Dean telling him that, he was happy that Dean had found some sort of happiness. The smile faded a bit, "Guess I'll have to talk to Bobby about keeping Cas around because there's no way he'll be okay on his own." He said. "We thought some space would be good for you too, but now that you said /that/ I guess we're in for the whole ride huh?" He glanced between Dean and Cas. He sighed a little, "If you guys need anything. Tell me." He told him.

"Thanks Sammy, we will." Dean replied. He smiled slightly at that- in for the whole ride. He wondered if they actually were, or if Cas would eventually find someone better. For now though, he was glad Sam was going to talk to Bobby, even if the reason why wasn't good. He looked down at Cas as wondered how long he would need him. But however long it was, Dean would be there.

"Oh, yeah. Here." Sam set down the phone by him. "It's Cas's. Got it from the station." he said before leaving.

Castiel had a softer grip on Dean's shirt, breathing softly. He wasn't dreaming of anything, being restless. He slowly started to wake up about 10 minutes after Sam left. He blinked out the sleepiness, leaning against the warmth around him. He knew it was Dean, he was aware of everything. "How long was I sleeping?" he asked softly, feeling like he only closed his eyes for just a moment.

Dean blinked when Cas spoke, being lost in thought about what he and Sam had talked about. "Not more than like 45 minutes." He replied, looking down at him. "Was it a good nap?" He asked, noticing that he didn't seem to have had any nightmares in the brief time and woke up aware of everything.

"...Not exactly, but it was better than nothing or something else." Castiel replied. He looked up at Dean, meeting his eyes again. "I left you awake, alone. I didn't mean to fall asleep..." he told him. "Thank you for staying. Also for letting me hold onto you." he added. He wanted to say sorry but he knew that Dean would brush off each of his apologizes.

"Of course I stayed." Dean replied softly, glad Cas was meeting his eyes again. "Sam came in while you were asleep." He said, pausing slightly before continuing. "They caught the guys that attacked you. It was my dad that found them actually, he beat the shit out of them." He said, smiling slightly.

Castiel looked at Dean with relief for both things, "You found your dad yesterday?" he asked first. "I...I haven't thought about that. Is he okay?" he asked.

Dean nodded, realizing that he hadn't had a chance to tell Cas either. "Yeah, he was fine. Completely sober, just out thinking. He found someone else with a son and is going to try to start over basically." He told him, shrugging slightly.

Castiel let out a small breath, "That's good. Good for him." he said softly. "Everyone deserves a second chance." he added. He was also relieved at the other news, that no one will have to go through what he is and that someone took care of it. He felt a bit more lighthearted to hear what two things that were bothering him being resolved. He only had to worry about getting better and school, but one before the other and time will do that. He looked at Dean gently, "Things are going to okay aren't they?" he asked.

Dean looked down at him, smiling softly. "Yeah, they are." He replied. He knew it wouldn't be easy for Cas, but Dean knew he'd be able to do it. And of course he'd be there to support him every step of the way. "Everything's going to be fine."

Castiel leaned in and kiss Dean's cheek softly. He felt better now, not like he did earlier. He found Dean's hand and laced his fingers through it. "How did you wanted to spend the day?" He asked, not wanting to ruin the rest of the time or dwelling on the bad things.

Dean smiled, glad that Cas seemed better. "Well, I bet the others left all the blankets and stuff. We could watch a movie." He suggested. "But I'm good with anything really."

"Will we even watch the movie if we watched together?" Castiel asked, looking up at him. "We are a bit of a distraction to each other." he smiled a little. "I wouldn't mind if we watched movies." he said. "What are we going to do about lunch today then?" he asked. "Should I make something?"

"You're a good distraction though." Dean replied with a smile. "If you're feeling up to it, sure, I'd love it if you wanted to make lunch. But if you don't, I bet we still have leftovers." He said. And this time, he definitely wouldn't offer to feed him.

Castiel thought about it, "Ah...if I feel better later, I'll try to cook dinner." he offered. He made sure not to think too much about anything, trying to keep his thoughts simple. He looked up at Dean, wondering if they should watch movies or not. He hummed softly, "Can we stay up here for a bit longer?" he asked. "I'm quite comfortable." he told Dean.

Dean smiled and nodded. "Sure. Are you sure you wouldn't be more comfortable with my pillow? I can leave you two alone." He teased lightly. He was perfectly content to stay how they were for a while.

"Hmm, leaving me alone with your pillow? I guess I'll just have to kiss it instead because someone else doesn't want them." Castiel reached over and picked up his pillow and situated it between them and hid his face in it. He was smiling a little against the pillow, not that Dean could see.

"Wow, replacing me again? After I painstakingly held you while you slept against me? That's pretty cold, Cas." Dean informed him with a grin. "This just isn't going to work if I have to worry about you running off with my pillow every time I turn around." He joked.

Castiel giggled against the pillow, squeezing it as his smile got a bit bigger. He peeped his eyes up to look at Dean, but he couldn't see his smile. "Then you'll just have to catch me, won't you?" he said. "Don't turn around if you think I'm going to run off." he added.

Dean smirked and moved his face right up against the pillow so that his eyes were even with Cas's. "So I have to watch you all the time huh? Good thing you're such eye candy." He said, giving Cas a wink and grinning at how terribly cheesy it was.

Castiel was staring into Dean's green eyes, feeling the blush across his cheeks. He hid his face back into the pillow, grinning. He peeped back up after a few moments, staring back at Dean before moving the pillow down slightly to kiss Dean on the nose. He laughed a little before he hid himself back in the pillow.

Dean laughed at Cas's kiss and met his eyes with arched brows. "I don't think it's fair the pillow gets so much more time against your lips. You know I get jealous easy." He said to him and pressed forward against the pillow, pushing Cas back slightly against the bed with a grin.

Castiel laughed lightly, still hiding behind the pillow. He had his eyes over the pillow to see Dean, smiling at the pillow. "You're easily jealous?" he asked. "I'm sure you were willing to share me with Charlie a while back." he replied. He was looking up at Dean with an amused expression, not giving up the pillow yet.

"Yeah cause I knew Charlie wasn't really interested. If she was straight I wouldn't even consider sharing you." Dean replied with a grin. "But I kind of have to be jealous or my boyfriend will replace me with just a pillow." He added, tugging lightly on the corner.

Castiel didn't stop Dean from tugging away the pillow. He had a soft smile on his face that matched a light blush. He was looking at Dean, "What if I wanted to make you jealous?" he asked innocently. "It only shows that you are attracted me." he said.

"You're trying to make me jealous?" Dean asked with an arched brow, leaning forward so their faces were only inches apart. "Well, it works, so I guess that's one way to prove I'm attracted to you. Or you can blush like that I'll definitely tell you." He said with a smirk, brushing their lips together lightly. "Or you can do both, but that just might drive me crazy. Like right now." He added, moving forward to fully kiss him.

Castiel blushed a bit more before kissing Dean back softly. He leaned back a bit, settling more onto the bed. He found Dean's arms and rested his hands on them to hold onto.

Dean followed Cas as he leaned back onto the bed, keeping the contact between them. He saw Cas blush a little more and smiled, breaking off their kiss for a moment to kiss his cheek before returning his lips against Cas's. He positioned his hands on either side of Cas to hold himself up, still leaning slightly into him.

Castiel smiled softly, enjoying the light kisses from Dean. He leaned back up to kiss him, he made sure to focus on Dean and think of lighthearted things. They're gone, Dean is still here. He still cares for him. He felt his heart squeeze, he didn't think of much. Just all the nice things Dean has ever done for him.

Dean deepened the kiss as Cas leaned up to meet him, glad he was back to being able to enjoy things again. He had no idea how much Cas wanted to do since he'd had an attack so recently, but as long as he was enjoying it then Dean was too. He lifted one hand off of the bed and trailed his fingers from Cas's shoulder lightly down to his hip, resting it on his side.

Castiel took a small breath in, feeling his trailing fingers. He was drawn in by Dean's kissing so he was vaguely aware of his fingers moving. He only concentrated on one thing at a time to make easier on himself. He tenderly licked Dean's lower lip, kissing it after.

Dean smiled slightly into the kiss, enjoying the feel of Cas's lips against his. He thought suddenly of when Cas had asked if he thought he was disgusting, and he wondered if Cas realized how far from the truth that had been. He ran his tongue across Cas's lower teeth and pressed in to the kiss slightly, wanting him to know just how much he loved the taste of him, loved the feel of him, just loved /him/ even if he couldn't say it yet while he was awake.

Castiel moaned softly into his mouth, trying to follow after Dean's leading but he was kissed by Dean so lovingly and passionately it left him breathless and dizzy. He tried to keep up with Dean because he wanted more. He swallowed thickly, feeling Dean taste everything and he felt a spike of arousal and pleasure at his kissing. He reluctantly broke the kiss to breath for a few moments. He was panting and looking at Dean with a dazed look. "Hah...Kiss me more..." he asked, holding onto Dean's arms.

Dean looked down at him, his own breathing getting heavier at the sight of Cas panting beneath him. He licked his lips as Cas spoke before meeting his lips again. He moved his lips to coax Cas's face upwards, breaking off to kiss lightly at his more exposed neck. He sucked at Cas's skin and scraped it lightly with his teeth, running his tongue across afterwards.

Castiel swallowed, he was intoxicated by Dean's kissing and he wanted Dean to kiss him breathlessly over and over again, until he couldn't focus anymore. He tilted his head a little for Dean subconsciously, not really able to put things together correctly. He moaned softly at the mark that Dean was leaving on him, he clutched onto his arms just panting at the feelings.

Dean moved down Cas's neck, leaving a trail of kisses across his skin. He nipped lightly just above his collarbone and ran his tongue across the bite. His hand pulled up on the edge of Cas's shirt, wanting to expose the skin he knew he could mark and taste freely. He could hear Cas panting and felt his grip on his arms, and he felt a desperate desire to fill Cas with pleasure and leave no room for dark thoughts.

Castiel shivered from underneath Dean. He felt little bursts of pleasure of Dean marking him. He knew it was Dean. Dean had marked him, all of the bad ones and made new ones. He vaguely felt Dean slowly pushing up his shirt, he shivered again before putting his hand over Dean's to still him. He didn't want to go further, he just had an attack earlier and he doesn't want to ruin the mood again.

Dean caught on to what Cas meant. He moved up to kiss Cas's lips again, going back to slowly kissing him and not wanting to accidentally do something wrong. He settled his arms by cas again, who held onto them.

Castiel more than willingly kissed Dean back, able to find comfort on something that only he and Dean ever did.

Dean was happy that Cas felt comfortable with something. They kissed for a while before they broke off, panting.

"You okay?" Dean asked, slightly breathless.

Castiel panted, nodding at Dean, he was a bit disappointed not having Dean touching him so freely like he used to but they'll eventually get to. "I enjoy you kissing me breathlessly. " He smiled a little.

Dean grinned, "I like kissing you breathless too." He replied, smiling slightly as he leaned in for another kiss. His hand came up to card lightly through Cas's hair as he licked across Cas's lower lip.

Castiel moved his hands from Dean's arms to his neck, a shiver running through him as they kissed. He let Dean deepen the kiss, enjoying the kissing again. He played with the ends of Dean's hair, feeling happy that he was able to enjoy the kissing.

Dean felt the shiver run through Cas and smiled slightly into the kiss, glad he was enjoying it. He'd been afraid after what had happened during the movie that he would go back to being wary and uncertain, but thankfully that didn't fully seem to be the case. He hummed lightly against Cas's lips as he deepened the kiss.

They kissed again for a while before Castiel broke the kiss first, he was panting again, looking at Dean with a dazed look. He had an affectionate smile of his face. His cheeks were slightly flushed from kissing but he didn't mind in the least. He actually wanted to keep kissing. He laughed a little, "I think I'm okay with these make outs." He breathed out.

Dean chuckled, brushing through Cas's hair lightly with his fingers. "I'm definitely okay with these make outs." he replied with a grin, his eyes roaming across Cas's flushed face. He was breathing a little more heavily as well.

Castiel cupped Dean's cheek with one hand, stroking his thumb back and forth. He held Dean's gaze with a soft smile. "Are you still jealous?" He asked.

"I'm always jealous, but not as much now." Dean replied with a grin, resting his chin on Cas's chest. "The kissing definitely helps." He added with a chuckle.

"Always jealous?" Castiel asked, amused. He looked down at Dean, running his fingers through Dean's hair. "What do you have to be jealous over?" He asked.

Dean smile softly. "You. I'm just waiting for everyone else to realize how amazing you are and woo you away from me." He replied with a light chuckle, though he actually was waiting for something like that to happen.

Castiel's face changed slightly, he looked at Dean, stopping his fingers in Dean's hair. "/Attempting/ to woo me, but I don't think I would be woo'd. I am not woo'd by words or gifts, but by actions and personality. To me, your actions write novels, taking me into you pace and setting me high. Your personality shines bright among everyone else, in my eyes no one can stand side by side by you and draw more attention than you would draw mine." he said softly. He carded his fingers through Dean's hair again, but kept his gaze. "I adore you Dean, you mean a lot to me and I don't think I would be woo'd just by anyone Dean. I think you're special and no matter how many times you think that you aren't enough for me, I will tell you otherwise. You are more than enough even when you begin to doubt yourself. You are my protection and the safe place of landing that I want. I want you to always be there and that sounds selfish of me but sometimes it feels like I'm the one desperately clinging onto you when you should be out in the world doing something great." he explained. He looked at Dean softly, "You give into my small needs, you take care of me, you do so much for me and I always feel like I never add up to that. You are my light and wings to save me from my own self hate and darkness. I've told you but I'll tell you a million times if that is what makes you believe me."

Dean's features softened as Cas spoke, a rush of reassuring warmth settling in his chest. "Well I guess we both think we're not good enough then." He said with a small smile. "But Cas, you're not holding me back. You're not just clinging to me. If anything, you've helped me be better than I ever could've been before." He continued, meeting Cas's blue gaze. He paused, features darkening slightly and he glanced away. "But I'm not your protection. I try to be, and maybe I've helped you out from a few school bullies, but even with them I couldn't really protect you. And I was the one who put you in danger with my dad, provoking him, and then again it was because of me you were out so late alone..." He trailed off, closing his eyes and shaking his head slightly. "I should've made you stay. Hell, I should've made Sam stay and gone on my own." He stopped again, letting out a breath and glancing up at Cas. "And I know you're going to tell me it's not my fault, but you can't deny that if you'd never have met me, none of this would've happened." He finished quietly.

"You're right..." Castiel looked at Dean seriously, "None of this would have happened." he said. "I would not be here. I wouldn't not be laying on your bed looking at the green eyes that reflect so many emotions. I would not have stayed in school, I would have been gone. I would have been miserable. I would have gave up my dreams." he listed. "There's so many what ifs and what could be but I don't regret ever meeting you Dean. None of it. I know that we are having a rough time and I'm taking you along with me for it but I have not once thought... I wished I never met you. It has never crossed my mind and it probably won't ever cross my mind." he said. "Dean, even if you tell me not to tell you it's not your fault, I will still tell you that. It's not your fault. Things happen, people make choices, we can't make everyone's choices and know the results. I know that if you would have found me before that, you wouldn't just let it happen would you?" he asked. "Choices are made and new futures are in store. Don't blame yourself for something that someone else chose."

Dean let a slow breath, meeting Cas's eyes and finding sincerity. As much as he told himself he didn't want Cas's comfort, it was admittedly a relief to have. "Thank you." He said softly. "And you're right- I know you're right. Whatever shit that's happened, whether it's my fault or not, we've got a good future. We're going to make it good." He said, spirits rising at the thought. He loved Cas and he might even be lucky enough to have Cas love him back, and the thought was enough to make him hopeful. "We'll get through this. We can get through anything." He said, smiling.

Castiel hugged Dean against him, "I know we will." he smiled at him. He stroked Dean's hair, "Then we can do things that we did before." he said. "I already miss so many things that we used to do together." he added. He squeezed Dean closely, "I don't want to ruin our moods, I don't want to have attacks. I would like us to have intercourse again without having any problems. I want us to be able to do everything we have and experience new things. I just want to do everything with you, from the simple things to everything. I want to walk in the park with you to going on that road trip that we said we dreamed of going on."

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas and smiled slightly. "We'll get there again. It'll take some time and the waiting might kill me," he joked, "But things'll go back to normal. And I'll be here the whole time." He added. "Even if I can't fix your attacks or take you on a road trip, we can go through the park whenever you want." He added with a grin.

Castiel smiled, "That is perfectly fine with me." He said. "Anything we do together will be fine with me." He said. He laid back and stroked Dean's hair, "We always say such sappy things." He laughed lightly.

Dean chuckled, knowing he was right. "Yeah, we really do. I've never been this cheesy before you. But I guess that's what-" he paused abruptly, realizing he'd been about to say that was love did to people. "That's what happens when we're so absorbed with each other. Like Sam says, in our own little world." He continued quickly.

Castiel didn't notice the pause, he smiled at him. "He sent me pictures of you eating pie and I set it as my phone wallpaper." He said, remembering he changed it before the incident. "I don't have my phone though…" he said sadly.

"Oh, I might. Sam gave it to me before he left." Dean reached over and gave it to Cas.

Castiel held it in his hands, feel a wash of relief. He still had all the text message Dean sent him and most importantly his screensaver. He quickly turned it on and showed Dean his background. It was of him with his eyes wide and happy, staring at the pie. "I have more but I really liked this one. You look so happy." Castiel laughed.

Dean tilted the phone slightly to look and laughed. "How did I not notice him taking all these pictures?" He asked, shaking his head slightly and grinning at it. "Oh, right, the pie. Still. Sam showed me one while you were sleeping too. How many did he even take?" He asked, glancing over at Cas.

Castiel flipped through his phone, "I have about 3 pictures and all of them are of you and the pie." He said. He looked at Dean, "I think I would be jealous on the way you look at the pie. Are you going to run off with it?" He teased. "Though, you would need the person who makes them so I guess you couldn't leave me then either." He smiled.

Dean laughed. "Why would I run off with one pie when I could have the pie maker? Plus I think you're probably more comfortable to lay on, but I'm not totally sure. You should make me a giant pie so I can compare." He replied with a grin.

Castiel shook his head, "No way. I don't want to have a chance of there being competition." he told Dean. "I'll just have to lure you in with pies." he teased. His phone went off right after and he glanced at his phone, Sam sent him the rest of the pictures and one of them caught his eye. It was of them together, laughing and smiling. He looked so happy and Dean did too. He smiled a little before looking back at Dean. He leaned up and gave him a soft kiss, "You're really adorable." he laughed lightly.

Dean smiled, looking back at the picture and thinking again of what Sam had said. "Yeah, well, you are too. Probably even more than me, and I am pretty adorable." He said, glancing up at Cas and grinning as he leaned over to kiss him again.

Castiel returned his kiss before rubbing his nose against Dean's, like an eskimo kiss. He laughed lightly, "Do you think we should try to eat now?" he asked. He paused for a moment, "I don't know if I'll be able to hold it down, but we can try." he said. He didn't know if this would trigger something but he figured that they might as well try and he could just eat a little. If it didn't work, he could just make something else.

"Yeah, sounds good to me." Dean replied, hoping Cas would be able to eat and keep if down since he has yet to, "What are you in the mood for?" He asked.

"...I..." Castiel thought about it, opening and closing his mouth. He wasn't sure on what he wanted. He figured he should eat something light to be able to keep it down, but he couldn't think of what food that could be. "Do we have fruit here? I think eating just fruit would be fine." he said.

Dean thought for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, Sam likes all that healthy stuff so I bet we have some. Want me to bring what we have up to you?" He asked, unsure of how much Cas wanted to move.

Castiel figured he probably should try to move about instead of just laying down and asking Dean for help. He glanced up at Dean, "I should try to move about. Do you have any more pain medication?" He asked. "I think it'll be easier for me not to think about it." He said.

"Oh, yeah, I'll grab it." Dean replied, moving off and away from Cas and getting out of the bed. He went over to the bathroom and got the bottle, coming back to sit on the edge of the bed and handing it to him. "Okay, you ready?" He asked.

Castiel took the bottle and took a few before taking them. He swallowed them before closing the bottle and setting them aside. He looked over at Dean, "I think so." He said. He was actually a bit nervous to get up because he was scared of having an attack. He wanted to get through this. The pain pills haven't kicked in but he could still feel the soreness. He shifted slightly off the bed and put his feet on the ground. "Okay. Let's go." He looked over at Dean. It was better he'd try than not at all.

Dean watched Cas with the medicine, hoping he wouldn't be too sore since they hadn't had a chance to really walk yet. He nodded slightly when Cas said he was ready, offering him his hand to help him stand up. He started walking down towards the kitchen a little more slowly than normal, ready to help Cas out if he needed it.

Castiel took Dean's hand to help himself up, feeling that stab of pain and soreness. He winced slightly but followed after Dean. He dragged his feet slightly to avoid having to pick them up as much. He felt the soreness when he walked and the graze of pain with each step. He made it to about the doorway when he looked at Dean, breathing a little roughly. "I...I don't think I should walk any more." He said. He felt that sick feeling in his stomach and he didn't want to push it. He felt terrible that he only got to this far before he had to stop. He wished those pain pills would work a lot quicker.

Dean stopped and turned back to him, walking over beside him. "Okay, no problem." He said, though it worried him that Cas hadn't been able to even make it out of the room. "I'll help you back to the bed. Is it cool to pick you up?" He asked, pausing slightly to make sure Cas was okay with it. He wasn't sure if the touching would make it worse.

Castiel nodded slightly. It was the little things like this that he felt like he was never going to get better. He frowned sadly, "I...I can't even do more than this. Why? It's just walking..." He took a breath in before looking away. He felt like he just gave up but the fear of having another attack stopped him from trying.

Dean put his arm around Cas's shoulder. "Hey, it'll be okay. The soreness will go away and you'll be able to walk again just fine. And the pain meds'll kick in soon and they'll help." He replied, scooping Cas up and bringing him back to the bed. "It's just gonna take some time." He added, wishing he had a better answer for him.

Castiel nodded just a little. He should be positive, he should think about when it gets better and not how bad he's doing. It'll get better. It'll heal. He just wished it was faster. He played with his fingers a little, "You're right. It'll get better..." He said softly.

Dean caught his fingers and raised his hand to kiss Cas's knuckles. "Of course it will. And until then you've got me to be your butler and being you stuff." He said jokingly, hoping to help his mood. "So you want me to go get you some fruit and stuff?" He offered.

Castiel gave him a half smile, "Please and thank you." he said softly. He was just looking at Dean before he looked down at Dean holding his hand. He just felt useless right then, not wanting to have Dean do such simple things for him when he should be able to do them himself.

Deans smile fell slightly when Cas wasn't looking, giving his hand a squeeze before standing up and gently slipping his hand away. "I'll be right back." He said, putting his hand on Cas's shoulder before turning and walking out the door. He wished he had a cure all solution for him, but the best he could do was get him some fruit for now.

Castiel let out a long sigh as Dean left, laying back onto the bed. He didn't want to roll onto his stomach to hide his face because that already felt like bad news. He pulled the blankets over himself and just laid underneath them. He didn't know what he was supposed to do with himself. He felt like he was using Dean, letting him stay over, making him get him things, making him carry him. He hid his face into the blankets, why was he being so useless? Why couldn't he just do things? Why was this such a big deal? Dean had already said that he didn't care about that and Castiel knew that if Dean would still accept him why would the attack matter? Why does he still have attacks? He just laid there, completely covered in the blankets, not wanting to move or do anything.

Dean came back up with all the fruit they had as well as some grilled cheese sandwiches, just in case Cas would want a little more to eat. And, if not, he'd eat Cas's. He walked into the room and felt a quick stab of panic, thinking Cas had somehow left, until he notice the long Cas-shaped lump under the blankets. He sat down on the edge of the bed, careful not to squish him.

"I got some food." He said, though he doubted that would do much good in cheering him up.

Castiel didn't move, he just laid there. He wanted to ask Dean questions but he knew what Dean would say and he was scared of what he /could/ say. He didn't shift from the blankets, just laid there quietly.

Dean glanced over at where he figured Cas's head was, setting the food down on the nightstand with a frown. "Cas? You okay?" He asked worriedly, wondering if he was having an attack or had somehow managed to fall asleep very quickly.

Castiel stay quiet for a moment before he responded. "Why...why aren't you upset with me?" he asked. "I'm just using your hospitality and making you do things, yet you still do them. I don't understand..." he said. "Why would you want to go through all this trouble? You don't need to go through all of this." all the baggage. He wanted to know why Dean didn't yell at him like most people would if he couldn't do something.

Dean leaned over and peeled back the blankets slightly so he could see Cas's face. "You're not making me do anything, I've been offering to do them. And why would I be upset? It's not like you're doing any of this on purpose." He paused, looking down at him softly. "And of course I'm going to go through all of this. What you're going through is worse, I'm just trying to help you as much as I can."

Castiel looked up at Dean with a sad expression, "Why me?" he asked softly. "Why are you so nice to me? You could have given up on me, not talked to me, not help me, yet you do. I don't understand, you wouldn't have to deal with this if you wouldn't have talked to me. Your life could be so much simpler..." he looked away from Dean. "I already told you, I just bring misfortune where I go and the people I meet, yet you stay and I don't know if I should be happy or guilty. Clearly you suffer something when you see me do something or experience something when you shouldn't." he took in a shaky breath, "I...I know I'm being selfish because I want you to stay with me, but I can't help but think one day...one day you'll tire of me...you'll find a beautiful woman that has everything you want and you'll leave...that I'm just a phase...that one day you'll see how wrong this was...all the time you wasted... even if you'll eventually get tired of me. I'll wait until that point because I want to have every moment we would have together..." his voice broke a few times, not looking back at Dean. He wanted to hide back in the blankets but Dean was holding them so he just looked away, feeling the heavy weight in his chest. He swallowed thickly, scared of what will come next because he said that. Maybe Dean will realize how wrong it was and he would have to go home. Tell him that he wasted his time, that he was just something to pass the time.

"A phase?" Dean repeated incredulously after Cas had finished. Part of him wanted to laugh at how ridiculous the thought seemed to him, but he knew Cas was being dead serious. He couldn't believe that he really feared any of that, but clearly he did. "Cas, you're not a phase. You're not a mistake, and you've brought way more good things than bad into my life. I'm sad when I see you hurting because I can't do anything about it, I can't take away the pain. I want to stay with you just as much as you want me to stay, maybe even more, so you're not being selfish." He paused, looking at Cas even though he wouldn't meet his gaze. "I don't care what happens or who I meet because I'm not going to go off with some woman or anyone else. No matter what, none of them could have what I want- you. Only you. I need you." He stopped again and swallowed before he leaned over and gently laid his hand on Cas's cheek, making him meet his eyes. His voice became softer until it was little more than a whisper, and he could hear his own heartbeat thudding in his ears. He was terrified of saying it out loud, scared that Cas wouldn't feel the same, but he had to go for it. He needed to know. "So why you, Castiel? Because I love you."

Castiel listened closely to what Dean said, praying that he really wasn't a phase, that Dean will still feel this way when they graduated and school will be over. He felt Dean slowly turn his face and he didn't resist. He just looked at Dean and his eyes just expressed so much that he couldn't look away. He heard what Dean said, barely over a whisper and he thought he imagined it but he didn't. He was shocked for a moment before his hands clutched Dean's hand on his face and he started crying. He felt his heart overflow with emotions. He had asked himself that question the other day, did he love Dean? He had already loved Dean...before he asked himself that question, he just didn't realize it. Dean loved him. Dean /loved/ him. He loved him and he couldn't believe it. Someone as ruined as him. All these years, someone has finally given him a chance to be himself, someone who helped him up when he fell, someone to hold his hand and guide him, someone to stand by his side. He loved Dean. A bright smile graced his face through the tears. He huffed a bit of laughter, feeling light and on air. His heart beating rapidly in his chest.

"I love you too." He blinked out another tear, looking at Dean like he was everything. "I love you too."

He huffed another bit of laughter because he was just so happy that Dean loved him. He had to say it again because it felt even better the second time. His heart fluttered and skipped. He just kept looking at Dean because he didn't want to look away anymore. He wanted to stare at Dean and just take it all in. Dean loved him and he wanted to stay with him just as much as he did. His doubts just seemed to wash away with just those three words, and it just made him speechless. They were wrapped with so many emotions that he didn't even doubt it. He didn't think they were a lie that Dean made up, they were real and they were meant for him. Maybe they couldn't fix everything but the thought of not being alone anymore gave him hope.

He cried a little more. "Pi valem polo pil nolipid, rile calo nalamema." he said with such an affection tone.

Dean's eyes widened slightly in a panic as Cas started to cry, afraid he'd said something wrong, before he saw Cas smile and he spoke. He heard Cas say it, and for a moment he half thought he imagine it until Cas started laughing slightly and repeated himself. His panic and uncertainty vanished, leaving a wash of love in their place. He grinned widely, feeling as if his entire world had just fallen into place. He moved his other hand to Cas's face and brushed away his tears.

"I'm hoping that means something along the lines of "I love you" and not "just kidding"." He joked, still beaming.

Castiel moved his other hand to put it over Dean's smiling at him. "I love you my knight, now and forever." he laughed lightly again. He looked up at Dean before cupping Dean's face and pulling him in for a kiss. He leaned his forehead against Dean's after, "I love you Dean Winchester." the smile glued to his face, he was just over the moon right now. He felt like he was over saying it but he was just overflowing with his feelings that he had to say it.

Dean laughed as well, just from pure happiness. "I love you too, Castiel Milton. My handsome princess." He replied with a grin. He never could have guessed how amazing it would feel when he finally told Cas, and he never could have dreamed of how elated he was when Cas said it back to him. "I love you." He repeated more softly, leaning in to kiss him again.

Castiel smiled, leaning up to meet him in the kiss. He felt like nothing could take him down at that point, he felt untouchable and it was an amazing feeling. He kissed Dean back softly but deeply. He pulled back with just a sliver between their lips. "You and me against the world." he said softly, like Dean told him back when they first met. He laughed lightly before kissing Dean repeatedly. He was just so happy that he was giddy. He wanted to laugh, he wanted to yell it out, he wanted to squeeze Dean so tightly. He just settled for pulling Dean closer and kissing him more.

Dean grinned, loving the sound of that- just the two of them against everyone else. "I like those odds." He smiled and leaned back into the kiss, moving closer to him and pressing in as Cas deepened the kiss. Out of anyone to have by his side, he was glad it was Cas. He felt invincible and elated with him, like they really could take on the world and win.

Castiel slid his hands from Dean's face around his neck. He kissed Dean deeply, just enjoying it. It was so much different than all the kisses before, like it was their first one. He wanted to laugh a little at how cheesy that was but he was busy kissing Dean. After a few moments, their moment was interrupted by their stomachs growling.

Castiel laughed against Dean's lips, "We should eat shouldn't we?" he grinned at Dean.

Dean sighed dramatically. "Yeah, I guess so." He replied before breaking into a smile again. He leaned forward as kissed him lightly again before sitting up. "But then we have to get back to that important business we were in the middle of." He added, glancing over at Cas and grinning. "Okay, so we've got some fruit and some extra crispy grilled cheeses that I made in the toaster that're probably cold now." He said with a laugh.

"That's okay. It's probably still delicious." Castiel smiled. He picked up the fruit bowl and ate some. "Thank you for bringing this up." He said. He took a piece of grilled cheese and bit into it. "You remembered that I like more toasted bread." He laughed lightly, switching between that one slice and fruit pieces. He looked really pleased. "Do you want some fruit?" He asked.

Dean chuckled, glad he at least hadn't burned the bread this time. "Yeah, I guess I'll take some fruit." He replied after taking a bite of his sandwich.

Dean reached over and grabbed a few grapes, popping them into his mouth. Although sitting in his bedroom eating cold grilled cheese and leftover fruit wasn't exactly paradise, Dean felt like he must've tripped on the stairs on the way up and died because this felt like heaven.

"You're eating fruit optionally." Castiel looked at him, looking pleased. "I'm shocked." He laughed lightly. "Actually not really, I do make fruit very appeasing." He grinned. He finished the slice of grilled cheese he had and he just had fruit left. He was eating it slowly, setting the bowl between them and he picked at it. The pain pills finally kicked in so he didn't feel any soreness or pain. "Do you want me to get water for us?" He asked.

"Fruit's never looked better than when you're eating it." Dean replied with a chuckle. He smiled at Cas offering to get water, taking it as a good sign. "Sure, that'd be great." He replied, figuring the pain meds must be kicking in.

Castiel slid off the bed, slowly getting up. He felt happy that he didn't feel any of the pains. He wandered out and went to get them water and came back with two water bottles. "I deserve a reward for walking downstairs." He said jokingly. He handed one to Dean before settling back in the bed and sipping on the water bottle.

Dean grabbed the water and smiled over at Cas, twisting off the cap and taking a few gulps. "A reward huh? Well you did do a really awesome job. This is great water." He said, leaning over to give him a kiss. "Does that count as a reward?" He asked with a grin.

Castiel smiled, accepting the kiss. "It does, but if I didn't want that as a reward what would you give me?" he asked with a light laugh. He sipped on more of the water, glancing over at Dean. The water made him feel a lot better than before so he was awake.

Dean took another drink of water and arched a brow. "Hm, I don't know. What would you want?" He asked. He was glad everything seemed to be better now, with both of their moods much better.

Castiel hummed softly, "I want to go on a date." he grinned. "Go on a date with me Dean." he said excitedly. "Some day, I don't know when, but I want to go on a date." he added. They went out together and ate at a restaurant but it wasn't official and they weren't together at that point so this would be the first time they went out together as a couple.

Dean blinked, surprised. "A date?" He thought for a moment and shrugged. "Yeah, okay. That sounds like it could be fun." He replied. Going out on an actual date would be sort of weird, but definitely enjoyable with Cas. "Sure, let's go on a date then. When do you want to go?" He asked with a smile.

Castiel scooted closer to Dean, taking his hand and just playing with it between his fingers as he thought. "I don't care on when we go." he said. "Anytime is okay with me and it'll always be enjoyable with you." he smiled. "It's going to be colder soon but we can still do things." he added. "We can go to museums, carnivals, festivals, parks, aquariums, zoos, actually I find zoos very upsetting so probably not zoos and not many aquariums." he pinched his brows together before he continued. "To the park, to an arcade, ice skating, rollerblading." he said excitedly. He knew of a lot of things but he never got to experience any of it so he would be really excited if Dean and him did some of these things.

Dean chuckled at Cas's enthusiasm. "Wow, that's a pretty long list. Good thing we have all the time in the world." He said with a grin. "So zoos upset you, huh? Well we can do all that other stuff. Not all at once, but you know." He added.

"Of course not all at once but that just makes me happy of the thought of more than one date." Castiel smiled. "Zoos are upsetting, they are holding animals and creatures captive for human entertainment but they can have some beneficial elements to them but I feel like most should be left alone. Animals are supposed to be wild creatures, they will only become crazy for being held captive. Their instincts long to be engaged and be put to use but sadly environments are slowly wasting away at the hands of productions." he said sadly. "They are wasting away and killing animals that we may have seen or never have seen. Zoos can be beneficial then because then in close quarters they can reproduce and start their population again, but if we never disrupt it then we would never have this problem." he continued. "It's just sad to hear animals slowly becoming extinct that maybe half a century from now they won't even know what certain animals are anymore except through pictures and I find that saddening. They won't see the beauty of these animals, they won't know what they were like, they would only know by words and pictures and it never justifies truly experiencing the sight of it."

"Oh, I'd never really thought of it like that." Dean replied, frowning. "Well, definitely no zoos then." He said, glad that Cas had said something so they wouldn't go to any. "But there are plenty of other things to do, and plenty of time to do them."

Castiel nodded, "We'll do them all eventually won't we?" he said hopefully. "I don't mean to say so many things but I would really like to do those with you." he smiled bashfully, playing with his fingers a little. He glanced up at Dean, "So you'll take me on a date?" he asked.

Dean smiled softly. "Of course. I'll take you on all kinds of dates to all sorts of places." He replied. "After all, that was a pretty awesome bottle of water. I think that's worth a couple of dates." He added with a grin. He was actually really proud of Cas being able to get out of bed and walk down and get them a bottle of water, so anything he wanted, he'd be willing to give.

Castiel laughed lightly, leaning over to kiss Dean on the cheek. "I'll be sure to pack water bottles then." he said with a smile. "And maybe food if we go to the park or something." he grinned. They were just sitting on the bed, talking and it was the happiest Castiel has been since a few days ago.

Dean smiled, liking the sound of that. He'd never been on dates like those, but anything with Cas would be fun. "So if you're feeling better, we could go on our first date today." He offered, grinning at the thought that they'd just told each other they loved one another and yet hadn't been on an actual date.

Castiel smiled at the idea but shook his head, "I don't think I want to go outside today." He said. He felt better but he wasn't sure if he was ready to go back outside. He played with Dean's fingers between his, "So where would you take me on our first date?" He asked, looking at Dean.

Dean hummed in thought for a moment. "I don't really know. I guess it depends on when we go, but a typical first date would probably be to dinner. Then again, we're not exactly typical since we're kind of doing this out of order." He replied with a chuckle.

"That is quite true." Castiel laughed lightly. "You've already been to my house for dinner and stayed a few times. We've kissed before we even established a relationship. We've gone out to eat together as well but we still weren't in a relationship. I'm already staying over and I've met your father." he said a few things. "Told each other how we feel, yet no first date." he laughed a bit more about how out of order they were but he didn't care, they were all very fond memories of his.

Dean laughed and nodded. "People think it's quick to have sex after the first date, but we've already done that a few times too." He replied with a grin. "I don't mind our order though. It works pretty well for us."

Castiel blushed a little, "Yes we are a bit odd in order but we seemed just fine." he said. He gently pulled Dean's arm toward him and leaned up to give him a kiss. "We did have intercourse a few times before this but we were quite hurried the first time we've done it." he laughed lightly, remembering they were outside. "Maybe we could have waited." he said.

Dean laughed, thinking back to it. "Yeah, I guess so, but at the time neither of us wanted to wait. Eventually we'll have a chance where we won't have to worry about being loud or being fast, any of that." He replied, though he figured it could still be a while until Cas would be up for that.

Castiel sighed softly, he pulled Dean over again for another kiss. "All of it will calm down eventually." he said. "I thought you said we had unfinished business we would attend to after we've finished eating." he laughed lightly. "Should we leave it unfinished?" he asked.

Dean nodded when Cas said it would all calm down eventually- it'd just take some time, and he was alright waiting. "Oh no, it's way too important to leave unfinished." He replied seriously, trying not to smile as he leaned over to kiss Cas again.

Castiel laughed against Dean's lips, kissing him again. "Is it kissing me?" he asked softly, placing a soft kiss after another against Dean's lips. He laced his fingers through Dean and gave their hands a squeeze.

Dean smiled against him, pulling back slightly but still staying close. "Of course. That's the most important thing I have to do." He replied, lips brushing his lightly before he leaned back to kiss Cas again.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean and pulling him close, he smiled a little at his lips as he kissed Dean back. He felt so happy that he just wanted to cherish that moment. It wasn't anything spectacular, they were sitting on a bed after eating grilled cheese and fruit but it was perfect. He wouldn't want to have it any other way.

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas's waist, more than happy to be pulled close by him. It was like any other day together, but he was more than happy to spend today and every other day just like this if it meant he and Cas could always be this content.

Castiel hummed softly, playing with the ends of Dean's hair as he leaned closer to deepen the kiss. He licked Dean's bottom lip and gently tugged on it after. He dragged his fingers through Dean's hair, playing a little with his ear between his fingers.

Dean tightened his grip around Cas to pull them closer, humming lightly as Cas tugged at his bottom lip. He leaned slightly into the touch of Cas playing with his ear and move his free hand around Cas's neck to stroke the hair at the nape of his neck with his thumb.

Castiel smiled a little, just kissing Dean back until there was a light knock on the door. They parted lips, only to have Castiel laugh lightly. "It stays unfinished." he said quietly.

"Dean?" Sam called out. "I think you might want to come downstairs." he said.

"Okay, be right down." Dean called back to Sam before looking back at Cas. "Don't worry, we'll finish sometime." He said with a grin, giving him another quick kiss before unwrapping himself from Cas. "I guess I'll be right back." He said, not really sure what was going on as he left the room and went downstairs.

The first person he saw was Anna then after walking more he saw Gabriel. Anna was standing perfectly straight with her hands together in front of her. Her shoulders were set back, looking over at Dean without any sort of emotions. Gabriel was leaning against one of the walls with one leg crossed over the other and his arms crossed over. He wasn't eating his usual sucker, he was just looking outside.

"Dean." Anna said simply.

Dean blinked in surprise since they were probably the last people he would have expected to see. "Anna, Gabriel, hey. Cas is still upstairs, did you want to talk to him?" He asked, slightly confused and feeling a sort of tension in the air. Were they here to try to take Cas back? And why had Sam only called him down and not Cas?

Anna was going to say something before Gabriel spoke up first in a flat tone. "Anna go get Castiel." he said.

Anna looked over at Gabriel before nodding, but Dean wouldn't let her go clearly confused and worried on what was happening. "Dean, step aside." Anna said calmly.

"We need to talk Dean." Gabriel pushed off the wall and stood up straight. He slowly turned his head to Dean, stuffing his hands into his pockets and looking at Dean blankly.

Dean stayed where he was, liking the feel of this less and less. "Okay, then talk. What's going on?" He demanded, knowing that whatever it was couldn't be good. Was Michael looking for Cas again? But then why were Gabriel and Anna coming to get him? He frowned, a feeling of uneasiness settling in him.

Gabriel looked at Dean, "When Anna left Castiel here with you, she told you to watch over him right? Not just from Michael, but from anything." he said. He saw some processing happening on Dean's face, "We trusted you Dean, we thought that this would be a safe place for him to be but we get a call from the police station saying that he got raped? Where the hell were you Dean?" he said coldly. "Where the fuck were you when this all happened?!" He let out a louder tone before he took a breath, making sure to keep his hands in his pockets. "...We told the police station to keep an eye out for Castiel and that any news about him, we would be the first to hear it. I never expected we would ever hear from them but what do you know. Ring ring ring, the telephone goes and this is the news we get." Gabriel scoffed looking away. "Castiel is coming back with us, we were wrong to put him in your care and clearly we won't do that again." he said. From upstairs you could hear muffled arguing, clearly being Anna and Castiel.

Dean paled, realizing he should have expected them to find out, but the thought just never crossed his mind. He opened his mouth to reply but stopped, trying to figure out what to say. Gabriel was right; they'd trusted Dean, and he hadn't been around to protect Cas. He'd even been the one to put him in danger in the first place. "Gabriel, I'm sorry. I wasn't there and I should've been, I should've been able to protect him. But you can't just-" he stopped again and swallowed, realizing that they definitely could just take Cas away, keep him safe from all of the things Dean couldn't. He hated the thought of being separated from Cas, just when they'd finally told each other how they really felt, but suddenly he wondered if it would be best if they did take him. "I'm sorry." He repeated lamely, his guilt crashing back over him like a wave.

Gabriel didn't even look at him, "Yeah you should've but I guess we were both wrong to rely on you for that, weren't we?" he said flatly.

A door from upstairs was opened and Anna voice came out first, "Stop being unreasonable Castiel, this is for your own good!" she told him.

There were quick steps coming down the stairs, Castiel looked over at Dean before Gabriel. "You can't just make these choices! I have a right to choose too!" he protested.

"No you don't Castiel. Listen to your sister, get your things. We're going." Gabriel gave him a stern look.

Castiel glared at Gabriel, "I don't want to go, I don't care what your reason is. Doesn't my happiness count?!" he asked.

"We are thinking of what's best for you. Your happiness can come second to that." Gabriel replied.

"I'm not going." Castiel said firmly.

Gabriel squared up to Castiel, "I will drag you out if I have to." he said lowly.

"Why? Why are you going through this much?" Castiel looked back at him with an angered expression.

"Because! We let you stay here with Dean, thinking it would be right for you since Michael doesn't know about him but clearly that's the least of your problems right now isn't it?" Gabriel argued.

"This /is/ the right place for me to be!" Castiel snapped back.

"No it isn't! You're not even safe, he can't protect you, who else will?" Gabriel gritted.

"No one had protect me before so why the hell do you care?!" Castiel retorted.

Gabriel and Castiel were faced to face, glaring. "Get. Your. Things." Gabriel seethed. "We're going." he said.

"I'm not leaving." Castiel grounded out. "You can't make me." he said.

"Not another word Castiel." Gabriel stepped off, going outside.

Dean watched them argue, feeling helpless. He didn't want Cas to go, especially since he didn't want to leave, but they were right. Dean couldn't protect him, and all the love in the world didn't change that. "Cas, they just want you to be safe." He said quietly, stepping over to him. "And I can't protect you." He added even more softly, pain obvious in his voice.

Castiel turned sharply toward Dean, "Yes you can. I know where their concerns are but I don't really care." he replied. "It was one thing. They can't make me go." he added. He was still angry from fighting with Gabriel so his voice was hard and edged. Anna was gathering his things, but he didn't care if they took it. "Dean you don't understand. If I go, I won't be back anytime soon. I'm not going back to our house. I'm probably not going to be in this state anymore. I don't know when I'll come back." he said. "Dean..." he let out a breath of air, calming himself a little. "...I love you...We've already said this and I, in no way want to go, but if you think that I should go with them. Say it. I'll go if you want me to." he said.

Dean frowned, feeling completely torn. He hadn't realized they were planning on taking him so far away. The thought of not being able to see Cas again tore at his heart, and, as selfish as it was, he really didn't want him to go. But if Cas went with them, he'd be safe. He'd find someone else who could be everything Dean was and more. Cas could he happy again. But Dean knew he couldn't. He looked back up at Cas and let out a breath.

"Of course I don't want you to go. I love you." He replied quietly after a moment, despite the guilt and self loathing that threatened to tear him apart for saying it. "But I want you to be safe. I can't protect you, Cas." He said desperately, not even sure what he wanted to happen anymore. He was completely torn, with half of him hoping selfishly that Cas would stay and the other half counting on Gabriel and Anna to take him and keep him safe.

"Then I'll stay. If you don't want me to go and I don't want to go, why should I leave?" Castiel looked at Dean. "I can be safe Dean. You can't blame yourself for something that happened like that. It happens all the time and they have no control over it either. You are not always on my heel so what makes you think that something unpredictable would be your fault?" he asked. "We'll just be more cautious and aware. We'll be okay." he said.

Dean looked away, running a hand through his hair. "I can't tell you to leave. I just can't, no matter how better off you'd be." He said with a sigh, looking back over at him. "I love you too much for that." He added with a slight smile, tainted with a little sadness. "So we'll figure it out."

Castiel let out a breath in relief, he seriously thought that Dean was going to make him go. He really would have if Dean would have told him to, but he desperately hoped he didn't, not after finding the bit of happiness through all the muck in his life. "We will. I don't know how I will talk to Gabriel though. He is angry with me." he said.

"I can try to help you." Sam said. "Didn't mean to eavesdrop but the house is kind of small." he added. He looked over at Dean and Castiel, "I'll go talk to Gabriel. Just wait and maybe talk to Anna while I do." he started walking out the way that Gabriel went. "I'm glad you guys have your feelings figured out." he gave them a half smile before walking out.

Castiel smiled a little at Sam, he looked back at Dean. Dean smiled slightly at Sam, glad he was helping them out. "Anna is reasonable, she is rational. We can talk to her about this." he said. Anna came back down with Castiel things. Castiel turned toward her, "Anna, I don't want to go." he said calmly this time.

She set down the case, looking at Castiel. "I know you don't, but we can't just leave you here if we don't know if you're going to be safe. It would be like us leaving you at our own home Castiel." she replied.

"I am safe Anna. You can't blame Dean for what happened. There was just a lot going on during that time." Castiel told her.

"Castiel..." Anna started.

"I love Dean, Anna. I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave and not know when I'll return." Castiel told her. "Please don't make me go." he said.

Anna looked at Castiel with a sad expression, she knew what was right but she didn't want to see Castiel upset like he was when he was locked up. "How can we be so sure to trust Dean will keep you safe?" she asked.

Dean turned to Anna and stepped up by Cas. "Look, I know I messed up, but I won't let it happen again. I love Cas, and I want him to be safe just as much as you do." He laced his fingers between Cas's. "Please let him stay."

Anna looked between them and then their hands before sighing. "You know...You became so much more defiant ever since you've met Dean. We have never once argued before today or seen you snap back at Gabriel before." She said. "We'll see. I still don't know what we're going to do. I don't trust you fully but.. I can't force you to come home with us Castiel. I can't take away your happiness. You've lost so many years without it so who am I to take it away when you finally find it?" She said.

Sam came in first with Gabriel close behind, not making eye contact with them. He was eating a sucker and just staring outside. "We decided that Cas can stay. Just with supervision between these two. Check ups from them occasionally so they know what's happening and that they can help when they can." Sam said.

Castiel looked at Gabriel, "I'm sorry I raised my voice at you. I know you only wanted what was best." He apologized.

Gabriel looked over at Castiel, "No. It's fine. I was stepping out of line for trying to force you into something. I was acting just like everyone else in the family. Sorry." He looked over at Castiel.

Dean glanced over at Sam, impressed that he'd been able to sway Gabriel. He smiled, squeezing Cas's hand slightly. "Okay, so we have this all worked out?" He asked, a huge weight lifting off of his shoulders. Cas was staying, they were going to check in, and everything seemed instantly better.

Castiel returned the squeeze. Gabriel nodded slightly, "Yeah, but not done." he looked over at Anna before walking toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Castiel asked.

"The police station." Anna replied.

"I have some anger I have to let out that I wanted to on Dean's face." Gabriel shrugged. He bit down on the full sucker and a loud crunch was heard and he pulled out the empty stick and tossed it away. "I just want to see those fuckers who decided this was such a great idea." he said, turning again.

Sam sighed, handing him another sucker. "Remember you'll be in a police station." he said.

Gabriel took the sucker, "Course." he laughed a little before heading out with Anna.

Sam looked back at Dean, "He's really scary when he's pissed." he commented.

Dean glanced over at Sam and chuckled. "Yeah, he definitely is." He replied. "So how'd you convince him to let Cas stay? He was super pissed." He asked, wondering how he'd done it.

Sam looked over at Dean, "Oh...I gave him some candy to calm down first." he said. "He normally has something sweet so I thought it would be a good place to start. We walked around the lot for a bit before he started ranting until he calmed down then we talked. I just gave him more candy to keep him talking until we worked it out." he shrugged. "He's pretty easy to figure out." he said.

Castiel tipped his head to the side, "Odd. Not many people say that, even people who are close to him don't say it often." he said.

Sam looked at him, "I don't know. I guess I can just pick it up. He has a lot of mood swings but I guess you just figure out which one to let wait out or go against." he replied.

"Sounds like you have my brother figured out." Castiel told him.

Dean arched a brow, wondering how Sam figured that out so quickly. "Well that's good I guess. Anyway, thanks for using your Gabriel-whispering skills to help us out." He replied with a chuckle.

Sam rolled his eyes with a huff of laughter. "Yeah you owe me Jerk." he said. He looked back at them, shrugging. "Couldn't let Dean mope around the house so I had to help. Don't want to deal with him always sulking." he laughed a bit.

Castiel smiled a little, "Thank you Sam. That was kind of you." he said.

Sam smiled, "No problem Cas. Least I can do." he said.

Castiel looked back at Dean, "I'm mad at you Winchester." he said. He slipped his hand from Dean's crossing his arms. "You considered letting me go though I fought to stay. You have to make it up to me." he said. Sam laughed lightly, shaking his head. It was time for him to make his disappearance.

"I take it having your best interests at heart doesn't get me any bonus points?" Dean asked with a slight smile, though he doubted it. "Okay, you're right, I'm sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?" He asked, wondering how upset Cas actually was.

Castiel let out a soft breath, "It sounds better when you say it like that." he replied. "I'm not that upset with you." he told him. "I'm just frustrated with you that you don't understand that things happen and you can't blame yourself for that. You probably felt guilty that Gabriel used that as an argument when I've told you otherwise. So even when I say things happen you still think it's your fault." he told him. "I'm not saying that I don't question some of the things you have told me multiple times but I never had anything like this." he gestured between the both of them. "So I get really nervous that you really will leave or any of the other worries I've said before." he sighed. "Do you think I'm lying to you to make you feel better? Do you think that I don't trust you enough?" he asked.

Dean sighed, running a hand through his hair again. "No, that's the problem. I think you really don't blame me and you should. I know you trust me, but I don't know why. I mean I try to protect and everything, but I don't exactly do a great job and yet you still trust me and I just..." He trailed off, shaking his head slightly. "I don't understand why. Gabriel and Anna could protect you better than I ever could." He finished, looking back at him.

"Keeping me somewhere isn't helping me. If at most, it would just make me more withdrawn." Castiel replied. "No one will do a perfect job on protecting someone from everything, that's impossible. You try and that's all that really matters to me. You care enough to try and there may be faults sometimes but that happens." he told him. "Why wouldn't I trust you? What have you done that I can't trust you for? Is there something that is hindering my trust on you? Why can't I trust you?" he asked.

"Because eventually I'm just going to fuck it all up!" Dean replied, louder than he'd meant to. He stopped himself, taking a breath in a failed attempt to steady himself. He wasn't entirely sure why he was suddenly upset, but the words started to pour out of him, desperate to make Cas understand. "Because the more you trust me, the more I'll end up letting you down. The more faith you have in me, the more I'm just going to disappoint you. That's just what happens. Yeah, no one is perfect, but how many times can I screw up before you realize that you're wrong? How often are you going to get hurt before you realize that caring and trying don't mean anything if I keep failing?" He stopped again, closing his eyes for a moment and shaking his head slightly before looking back at Cas again. "So yeah, I thought about letting them take you. I considered telling you to leave and never look back because at least then you wouldn't have to go through the pain of realizing that you put your trust in someone who never deserved it." He finished, running out of steam towards the end and going from sounding upset to just tired.

Castiel was a bit shocked at first at the sudden outburst but soon just stared at Dean, taking in all he said and just waiting. There was a lot of tension in the air again. "You are an idiot." he said after a few moments of silence. "You, Dean Winchester, are the biggest idiot I have ever met." he stared at Dean. "That's just what happens?! You seriously believe that if someone actually tries to believe in you that you're going to let them down. That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Why are you so hard on yourself Dean? Has that many people told you that it has been your fault? What makes you think that you have let me down? That you have disappointed me? I have never once said any of that and yet you conjecture up these ideas that one of these days you will. What makes you think that I won't? That I'm not scared of that? That hearing people insult me all these years, telling me I'm nothing that I'm just a tool, a pawn, that I don't think that I'm something. What makes you think that I don't think I'm going to screw up? That anything I do won't throw you off and make you want to leave me behind? You think I'm on such a high pedestal but where I am is exactly where you are. I don't think I'm good enough. I never thought I would be good enough. I was never told that so I never believe that I ever was. I never believed that anyone would care for me, to actually say they love me. I have never once heard those words past through anyone's lips before yours. Through the pages of books, that's all I had. Of course I get hurt, but what would hurt the most to me is you turning yourself away from me because I have someone to accept me. I fear your rejection more than anything. I've been hurt so many times Dean but I have always tended my wounds alone. Do you know what it's like to finally have someone take you from that sad darkness that you've known so long and tell you there's a world out there. That they want to experience that with you? That they care and want to be there for you? How would it feel to have someone who does everything you ever wanted from someone just to have that same person push you away because they think of such far fetched things, things that are not even in their control? Things that they will never have control over yet they think it all their fault. Trust never comes easy, it never has and never will be. Once you have it, it's like a piece of glass you hold in your hand but once you break it, no matter how many times you try to put it back together again or try to, it'll never be the same because the cracks are always there. So don't tell me where I should put my trust or where I shouldn't. I think you are capable of handling my trust and not breaking it. I've trusted you Dean and I still trust you. It sounds like a lot but you've done the same. You've given me that responsibility as well and you don't even think about what I could do with it. You don't even think about it, you don't mention it, like you don't even care what happens. We've given each other the key to each other to make us happy but we've also have the ability to destroy all of it. I'm trusting you not to." His voice raised and slowed down at parts, emphasizing in areas and becoming soothing in others.

Dean listened silently to Cas, surprised at how vehemently he rejected any Dean's doubts. He'd been expecting Cas to maybe try to reassure him as he always did, or maybe even to realize that Dean was right and agree with him, but he'd never imagined Cas's reply. He hated hearing Cas say some of those things about himself and wanted to protest before realizing that it must be the exact same way Cas felt when Dean put himself down. Of course he trusted Cas, he had absolutely no reason not to. And, even if Cas somehow messed up, Dean would still love him and trust him if he was trying. It occurred to Dean that it was exactly what Cas was trying to say- that he felt the same way.

"You're right." He replied softly, taking a step towards Cas. "You're always right. I guess I am kind of an idiot, but I'm glad you like me anyway." He said with a slight smile before it faded again. "I don't trust myself. I just don't. But I'm going to do my best for you because I love and trust you, and you love and trust me. I'm never going to even consider letting anyone try to take you again. I'm sorry." He finished.

Castiel let out a breath, breathing out the excess frustrations he had. He looked at Dean with a sad expression, "Okay. That is what matters. You're trying." he replied. He looked at Dean before sighing again, "That's now out of the way. I now know what you have been thinking this whole time. It doesn't make me feel better but it's better late than never that I have heard it out." he said.

Dean nodded slightly though he wished he could have made Cas feel better. Still, he was glad he'd told him. "Sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I should've known you'd understand and not mind but..." He trailed off and shrugged. "I'm glad I told you now though, and if you don't want to leave, I'm never going to make you." He added.

Castiel relaxed his shoulders a little, the tension kind of dying down. "It's okay. You've at least told me." he said. He looked at Dean before catching one of his hands. "I'm still a bit upset with you Winchester but I think if you kissed me, I might forgive you." he said. He didn't want to feel the tension anymore, he wanted them in their nice atmosphere they had.

Dean smiled slightly, glad Cas forgave him and wanted to put the tension behind them just as much as he did. "A kiss huh? I think that's manageable." He replied, joking lightly before he moved his hand around the back of Cas's neck and leaned down to kiss him softly.

Castiel relaxed, leaning into the kiss. He always knew that gesture of when Dean would kiss him, the hand on the back of his neck. He held onto the hand that he was holding and the other on Dean's arm. He felt the tension just vanish from the room and it was replaced with affection.

Dean held on to Cas's hand, squeezing it slightly. He immediately relaxed at the kiss, knowing that it was a sign that they were okay. Cas wasn't going anywhere, he wasn't upset with him anymore, and everything was back to being good again. Even if Dean doubted himself, the one thing he knew with absolute certainty was that he loved Cas, and nothing was going to change that He moved in closer and deepened the kiss, thinking that this apology kiss should definitely be a good one.

Castiel hummed appreciatively. Dean was trying to kiss him breathlessly and he felt a stir of arousal from the kiss but he remembered they were in the kitchen and people could walk in. He slipped his hand from Dean's and wrapped it around his shoulders, breaking them apart slightly. "Do you think you can kiss me while you carry me upstairs?" he asked in an amused lower tone. He swallowed thickly, nipping lightly at Dean's lower lip and swiping his tongue after it. "Or we can just hold back enough for us to walk up the stairs." he said.

Dean felt a stir of arousal at Cas's kiss, and holding back until they made it up the stairs suddenly seemed more difficult than carrying and kissing Cas. "I'm just not that patient." He replied with a grin, crouching down slightly to pick Cas up so that he could keep his arms around Dean's shoulders and put his legs around his hips. Dean wrapped his arm around Cas's waist to hold him and pulled him close, pressing up to kiss him again as he walked towards the stairs.

Castiel smiled at Dean, tightening one of his arms around his shoulders as the other tangled in Dean's hair. He liked being lifted by Dean. He wrapped his legs around him to make it easier for him to walk. He leaned back down and kissed Dean's roughly, using the leverage he now had. He pulled at Dean's hair and nipped at his lips, sucking on it after.

Dean hummed lightly into the kiss as he came to the foot of the stairs, pausing slightly to fully enjoy Cas's roughness before he managed to divert some of his focus on the stairs. He grabbed the handrail with his free hand and slowly started walking up, stumbling slightly a few times but always able to catch himself and not interrupt the kiss. He hardly registered that he'd made it up the stairs and had started walking towards his bedroom, completely distracted from anything else by Cas.

Castiel pressed himself against Dean, running his fingers through Dean's hair as he tugged the edges. He led the kiss so he tasted everything in Dean's mouth, just running his tongue against Dean's teeth and twisting against his tongue. He lightly nibbled at Dean's tongue and dragged his canines against it. He felt Dean stumble a few times, making him feel proud that he was distracting Dean so much. He gently sucked on the tip of his tongue before going back and kissing him roughly. They eventually made it into Dean's room without falling, which should have been an accomplishment but they were to drawn into each other that they didn't break the kiss even then.

Dean was completely absorbed by their kiss and barely remembered to kick the door shut with his foot as he made his way over to the bed. Cas having control over the kiss was intoxicating, and Dean was careful to keep the contact between them as he moved over to the bed and set Cas down in the middle of it.

Castiel didn't let go of Dean even when he felt the bed dip and the mattress beneath him. He kept his legs around Dean and his hold in his hair. He pulled Dean into him as he leaned up to keep control of the kiss. He broke the kiss briefly to take in some air as he kissed Dean's jaw. He was panting but he was perfectly okay with that. "You made it up the stairs, I'm impressed." he murmured into Dean's skin in between kisses.

Dean tilted his head slightly and leaned against Cas's kisses, more than happy to let him keep control of it. "I'm pretty impressed too." He admitted breathlessly, smiling slightly. "You're too good of a distraction." He added in a murmur.

They made out for a really long time as they laid on the bed together, when they finally broke apart. Castiel smiled at Dean, "Are you tired?" he asked. "If you're sleepy, you can sleep and I"ll awake you later for dinner." he said softly. He didn't stop running his fingers in Dean's hair, he just looked at Dean adoringly. "Just sleep and I'll wake you up." he said.

Dean smiled and nodded, feeling warm, relaxed, and happy. He closed his eyes willingly, a slight smile still on his face as he started to drift. Things were okay and Cas was okay, the restless nights of worry and short hours of sleep were catching up to him. "I love you." He mumbled, Cas's rhythmic stroking of his hair making him fall quickly into a contented sleep.

Castiel smiled, draping the blanket over Dean. "I love you too." he said softly.

He continually carded his fingers through Dean's hair, leaning back on the headboard. He knew that he kept a notebook here with Dean so he reached his arm over to the nightstand and took it out. He wrote while Dean was asleep, he occasionally brushed Dean's hair and glanced down at him as he did. He smiled softly, adding new works to his notebook. he slid the notebook aside and just played with Dean's hair. He enjoyed the quiet air with the sound of Dean breathing. It was calming, he just idly played with Dean's hair until it was time for dinner. He just stopped brushing Dean's hair and just held him. He wondered if he should wake Dean up yet.

Dean slept peacefully, a vague sense of happiness filling his dreams. He slowly started to wake up as Cas stopped stroking his hair, eyes blinking open to look up at him. "Hey." He said with a grin before yawning. "How long was I out?"

Castiel smiled at him, "You were asleep for about an hour." he told him. He wiggled his legs a little, still feeling okay so he sat still. "Was that a good nap?" he asked. "You looked happy while you were sleeping so I figured you were having a nice dream." he said.

Dean smiled and nodded. "I dunno what it was about, but it was nice. Probably you." He added with a chuckle, though it was true. He sat up slightly, trying to take some of his weight off of Cas so his legs wouldn't fall asleep.

Castiel laughed lightly, "I'm here with you, yet you dream of me? I'm flattered." he replied. He wiggled his legs again, adjusting them slightly. "So do you think we should go down and make dinner now?" he asked. "Or eat dinner, one or the other." he said.

"Of course I'd dream of you." Dean replied with a grin, propping his head up with his elbow. "Dinner sounds good now- I worked up an appetite." He said, hungry now that he'd had a chance to rest.

Castiel cupped the side of Dean's face and leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. "I'm sure you did." he laughed lightly. "Do you think we should go see what we can make?" he asked. "Or we could order something. That is fine with me as well." he said.

Dean hummed in thought and shrugged. "I'd be fine with either, but if we make something I'll probably be even less help than normal though." He replied with a chuckle.

"You and me both. Maybe it'll be better for us to order something." Castiel replied. "What should we get? Should we ask Sam and Bobby what they want?" he asked. "I'm not really sure on what to order." he said.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, they probably won't care what we get but we should probably ask." He paused slightly.

Castiel smiled, leaning up to kiss him briefly. He smoothed back Dean's hair, "Okay we can go." he said. He opened the door of Dean's room, leading them out first. "What do you normally order when ordering food? Pizza? Chinese? I'm not sure what else you could order."

Dean followed behind him as they walked, thinking. "Yeah, we normally do pizza or Chinese when we order in, so we'll see what they want." He replied, glancing down the hall to see if Sam was in his room or downstairs somewhere.

Sam was downstairs, sprawled out across the sofa with headphones in as he read a book. He glanced up at Cas who was coming down with Dean.

Castiel waved a little, "We wanted to order food since I don't think we'll be able to cook as well as usual. Is there anything in particular you wanted?" he asked.

Sam closed his book and pulled out his headphones beforehand. "Anything is fine with me really. I can go for pizza if you guys want. It's faster to order." he said.

Castiel nodded a little, "Dean, do you think you would be okay with ordering Pizza then?" he asked.

"Pizza sounds good to me. Want me to order?" Dean offered, grabbing the phone. "Oh, what toppings? I'll eat anything, but I think you know that." He added with a chuckle.

"You already have the phone so why ask?" Sam laughed. "I'm okay with everything too." he said.

Castiel glanced between the two, "I...uh...I don't normally eat pizza so any topping will be fine with me as well." he replied.

"Good thing none of us are picky." Sam looked up at Cas.

"That is true, but it makes it hard to order food since we have no idea what we would want." Castiel replied. "Oh. Thank you for the pictures. I haven't had a chance to tell you, but they were funny." he smiled.

"You're welcome Cas." Sam smiled.

"Yeah thanks for taking pictures of me while I was trying to enjoy my pie." Dean replied with a roll of his eyes, smiling. "And I was being nice, bitch." He added to Sam before he stepped out of the kitchen to order the pizza, getting two pizzas with an assortment of toppings before going back into the kitchen.

Sam rolled his eyes, "Jerk." he mumbled as Dean left.

Castiel glanced between Dean and Sam, "Why do you guys do that? I have picked it up a few times but you guys tend to call each other that and I have no idea if it is terms of affection or insults." he asked.

"It's both." Sam replied. "It's just something we did while growing up so it stuck with us. It's like our type of thing." he shrugged. "Dean likes giving nicknames for some odd reason." he made a face.

"Does he? Oh. Actually I can see that." Castiel replied. "He has given me a few nicknames. Like Cas and Blue Eyes. I know he calls the Impala, Baby." he said.

"I know, but that's just Dean's thing. So that's all he calls you? No pet names?" Sam asked.

"Pet names? I do not believe I am a pet." Castiel said confused.

"No like terms of endearment like you said. He calls the impala baby, but there's more words to call someone like honey, baby, babe, I don't know." Sam replied.

"I do not believe in being called a baby. I am not an infant or something made by bees." Castiel responded. "Babe? Is that another way of saying baby?" he asked.

"Yeah, but not as much." Sam told him. "Try calling Dean that." he snickered.

"But why?" Castiel asked.

"Just give it a shot. I just want to see how he responds." he said.

"Will it be bad?" Castiel asked.

"Probably not." Sam shrugged again.

Castiel looked out of the kitchen to where Dean was ordering before looking back to Sam. "I'll try it, but if he gets mad what do I do?" he asked.

"If he gets mad, I'll take the heat for it." Sam chuckled. They both waited for Dean to come back.

Dean finished the order and came back in, setting the phone down and looking back at them. "Gotta couple of pizzas, should be here in like half an hour." He said, glancing between them.

Castiel glanced up at Dean, "Okay." he said. "Do you think it would be okay to call you babe?" he asked right after. He stared at Dean for a moment and Dean didn't reply right away so he said it again. "Babe?" he repeated. Castiel got nervous that he was making Dean mad and he panicked a bit, glancing quickly from Dean to Sam. Sam was just watching Dean with an amused look.

"Babe?" Dean repeated, glancing over at Sam and back to Cas, figuring he must have something to do with this. "Uh, if you want to, sure." He replied, still very much confused at why Cas looked so upset about calling him babe. "I didn't really think you'd be the kinda guy to use pet names, but okay." He continued.

Castiel blushed, shaking his head. "I'm not...Sam asked me to try." he said softly.

Sam laughed, "Hey, it was for science. I wanted to see how you would react if someone gave you a nickname." he explained.

Castiel blushed a bit deeper, "That was not a good idea." he said. "I feel flustered." he sighed a little.

"Yeah but it was a nice experiment. Maybe Dean will make more nicknames for you." Sam glanced at Cas with a grin.

"I...I don't mind. He has given me a few and it seems more natural coming from him than me." Castiel replied.

Dean chuckled, seeing Cas's blush. "You can call me whatever you want, babe." He replied with a grin, trying to ease some of Cas's embarrassment even though he found his blush endearing. "But I'm glad you don't mind my nicknames for you." He added.

Castiel glanced up at Dean but then the blush tinted his ears, hearing Dean saying babe sounded so much different than him saying it. It made his heart flutter and it sounded so much more endearing and attractive when Dean said it.

Castiel looked away embarrassed and Sam laughed. "This is really cute." he said.

Dean smiled at Cas, watching his reaction and making note of it for later. He had to agree that Cas pretty adorable, but he wasn't going to admit that to Sam. "Yeah, we know we are." He joked arrogantly instead, glancing over at Sam and chuckling.

Sam rolled his eyes, "Yeah whatever jerk." He said. "Well if we have time to kill, I'm going to finish my book and listen to music then." He said getting up and going to the living room. Castiel was still blushing, hiding his face a little at how much he was blushing.

Dean watched Sam leave before turning back to Cas and grinning. He walked over, hooking his finger under his chin to look him in the eyes. "So you like me calling you babe, huh?" He asked with a smile.

Castiel glanced up at Dean, still blushing. He lightly shivered, glancing away. He swallowed a little, "It sounds... it sounds nice coming from you." He said softly.

Dean grinned, enjoying the cute reaction he was getting from Cas. "So maybe I'll call you babe more often." He said, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. "You think a lot of things sound nice coming from me, though, babe."

Castiel pouted a little, whining slightly. "You're doing this on purpose..." He said. He felt like Dean was trying to say it as many times as he could, trying to say it in each sentence. He knew that Dean wanted a reaction from him and he was reacting. It made his heart flutter each time Dean said it, it was having an effect on him but he didn't want to tell Dean that since Dean would just use it against him.

"How can I resist?" Dean asked with a grin. "Your reaction is adorable, and knowing you like it just makes me like it even more too." He replied honestly. "It's not my fault you're that cute when you blush and get a little flustered."

Castiel blushed a bit more, huffing. He hugged Dean, wrapping his arms around his neck and burying his face so Dean couldn't see. He was flustered and he was a little embarrassed at Dean telling him how cute it was to him. He knew he would be blushing a lot deeper so he just hid his face.

Dean smiled and wrapped his arms around Cas as well. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be trying to get a reaction out of you." He said, though he didn't actually sound sorry at all. "I'll stop teasing you, babe." He grinned. "After that one, I mean." He added, kissing Cas's head to make up for it.

Castiel made a soft sound, squeezing him. "You meanie..." He mumbled, he was still blushing so he didn't move his face from Dean's neck. "You just want my reactions."

"Of course I want your reactions." Dean replied, still smiling because Cas burying himself into his neck was also pretty cute. "I like knowing how you feel when I say stuff, and your blushing is a dead give away. They're good reactions, and I like knowing when you enjoy something I say."

Castiel made a sound at that, "How come I don't get to see you blush?" he asked. "Why do I just blush?" he huffed. He pulled back a little to look at Dean, still having the blush dusting his cheeks. "I don't like being a dead give away." he pouted a little.

"Mm, sorry, I don't know how to fix that. And I blush too, just not as much as you." Dean replied, personally loving that Cas could be such an open book sometimes. He smiled slightly at Cas's pout, but decided not to say anything to make him blush again this time.

Castiel glanced up at him, "What do you blush at?" he asked. "I want to make you blush." he said determinedly. "How come you don't have a reaction when I call you a nickname? You call me that and you get to see me blush, it's not fair." he told him. "What do you call for words of endearment?" he thought about it. "Honey? Baby? Sweetheart? Angel? My love? Mine?" he listed a few things, thinking really hard about what to call Dean. He watched for any sort of reaction.

"I don't know Cas, it's not that easy." Dean replied with a shrug. "It's not the actual word itself, it's how you say it." He added after Cas had listed off some names. He almost wished he could just make himself blush just to make Cas happy. "So you can call me whatever you want, as long as it sounds like it means something."

Castiel let out a soft sigh. "Dean." He said. "I like hearing your name the most out of any nickname. It means more to me than any nickname I could give you." He told him. "How you say it?" He thought about it. "As a moan. Preferably. I find a particular joy in saying your name when having intercourse or you saying mine. It's very affectionate and seductive." He explained. They were really close so he didn't have to talk very loud. "Dean." Castiel smiled. "That's what I like calling you the most."

Dean arched a brow slightly at Cas's explanation, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks. "As a moan, huh? I have to admit, I think I like that the most too." He replied with a smile, liking Cas's explanation more than any of his nicknames for him.

Castiel smiled brightly, he got Dean to blush a little. It wasn't like his but it was something. He was cute. Castiel pulled Dean forward a little, kissing him softly. He felt pleased that Dean enjoyed his explanation. "So should we just wait here until the pizza comes or should it be here soon?" He asked.

Dean smiled slightly into the kiss before Cas pulled away. "It should be here any minute now." He replied, glancing over at the clock. Just then the doorbell rang and he grinned over at Cas. "Told ya." He said before walking out of the kitchen and returning a few minutes later with the pizzas. "Dinner time!" He said, eager to eat.

Castiel laughed lightly at how Dean always looked when there was food to eat. Sam popped back in, "Oh sweet." He said, walking more into the kitchen.

"We don't need plates do we?" Castiel asked.

"Not really. It's kind of a finger food." Sam replied. "You can if you want but not necessary." He told him. Sam opened up the pizza boxes and chose whichever one he wanted and started eating. Castiel waited for everyone else.

Dean called Bobby before walking over and grabbing a big slice. Bobby came down and went over to the boxes too, choosing a slice for himself before stepping back. "Ah, food." He said before taking a bite, hungrier than normal since he finally had the chance to really eat. He chowed through it pretty quickly and grabbed another slice.

"Slow down or you're going to choke, the pizza's not going anywhere." Bobby told him with a chuckle.

Castiel picked up a slice and looked over at Dean. "He's right. You shouldn't eat so quickly. It's also healthier to eat slowly." He said. He bit into the pizza and slowly ate it. He wandered into the fridge and grabbed a bottled water just in case Dean needed it. He opened it and sipped a little. He wandered back into the kitchen after, taking more bites of his pizza and handing everyone a napkin. "It can still get messy." He said.

Sam laughed a little, "Thanks Cas. You're like mothering us." He commented.

"I am not." Castiel replied. "I am simply thinking of precautions and looking after your needs." He said.

Dean rolled his eyes at them but ate the second slice more slowly. There was plenty of pizza and there wasn't any rush, like getting back to Cas since he was here. "Yeah, that's called mothering." He said to Cas with a laugh. He didn't mind- in fact he thought it was pretty sweet- but it was definitely mothering.

Castiel pinched his brows slightly. "Oh." He said.

Sam looked at Cas, "Hey it's not a bad thing. Guys normally look for that type." He chuckled.

Castiel nodded slightly. "If you guys don't find anything wrong with it then I find no problem with continuing like so."

"Nah, it's not a problem. It's pretty nice, actually. I mean, who else would get me to eat healthy stuff and buckle up in the car?" Dean joked with a grin.

"You could always do that yourself." Bobby replied with a roll of his eyes.

Sam laughed, "Bobby got you there Dean. You can do a lot of it by yourself, like clean your room and wash your laundry." he said.

Castiel chuckled, "That's true but it's nice to have someone to do it with. It makes the process easier and more fun." he added.

Dean grinned and nodded. "See, he's right. I could do all that stuff on my own, but it's way less boring with someone else." He replied.

"Yeah, and you have someone to show you how to actually do that stuff." Bobby said.

"Hey, I knew how to do all that before." Dean protested. "I just didn't." He added with a shrug, looking back at his pizza with a sheepish smile.

Castiel smiled at him, gently nudging his side. "It's okay, I'll remind you to do them." he said.

Sam walked to the fridge and got a bottle of water, "Well at least he'll do them. At least he remembers to shower on his own." he laughed. "That would be really gross Dean if you didn't." he teased.

Castiel laughed lightly, "Yes it's good on my behalf so I would have to deal with a stinky him." he said.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Hey, I'm not completely helpless okay? I brush my teeth and shower and all that. I can take care of myself." He protested.

"Mhm. Sure." Bobby replied doubtfully, chuckling as Dean rolled his eyes again.

Castiel had two pieces and he was done. He sipped on the water and offered some to Dean. "Want some?" he asked.

Sam had eaten a lot of it and drank a lot of water, "Yeah, I should go back to my eating ways after today." he laughed a little, "It was a nice break from the normal eating though." he said.

Castiel smiled a bit, "It's not wrong to indulge once in a while but having too much of it can be unhealthy and lead to health problems." he replied.

Dean nodded and took the water Cas offered him, taking a drink. "Then it's a good thing all the stuff you make is healthy because we would definitely have some of those health problems." He replied with a chuckle.

Castiel hums softly, "Better late than never. You can always turn things around." he said.

Sam looked at Cas, "You're always so philosophical. What did you plan to be after you graduate?" he asked.

"A writer." Castiel answered. "I've always wanted to be a writer." he smiled.

Sam nods a little, "Oh, that's pretty cool." he commented.

"Thank you. I hope that sometime in my life I will get published." Castiel told him.

"Of course you're going to be published." Dean said to Cas with complete certainty. He turned to Sam. "Seriously, half the things he says I'd think he got from a book or was quoting someone if it wasn't him saying them."

"There are a lot of sayings that I do remember that I occasionally refer back to. They make me feel better, possibly muster the will to move forward, or pick myself up." Castiel replied.

Sam laughed lightly, "Yeah we can see that. Dean will be your biggest fan of course. Maybe not since he doesn't really pick up books to read but mentally he will." he said.

Castiel chuckled, "That's okay. It's nice of him to think so." he glanced over at Dean.

"Hey, if Cas is the one writing them, of course I'll read the books." Dean replied. "And yep, number one fan already." He added with a chuckle, though he really did like the things he'd read in Cas's notebook and such.

Castiel smiled at Dean, "One fan is all I really need. Everyone else can just come after." he chuckled.

Sam rolled his eyes, "Yeah keep the loving away from the food, I don't want to get goosebumps from all the lovey stuff." he chuckled. He closed the empty pizza box and threw it away while the other still had a few in it. He came back and looked at them, "Well I'm going to go finish this book. Thanks for ordering." he said. He wandered out and flopped back down.

Bobby nodded in agreement with Sam. "I'm not going to be third wheeling with you two." He said before following Sam out.

Dean watched them leave and turned back to Cas with a grin. "You have to sign all the copies of your books and stuff for me when you're all famous and world renowned." He told him, smiling.

Castiel laughed, looking at him. "Why would I do that?" he asked. "What would you need me to sign them for if you know me physically?" he added. "That sounds ridiculous Dean." he smiled a bit.

"So they're more special and I can prove I'm your favorite." Dean replied with a grin. "Besides, that's what authors do, right? Sign books for their fans? And I'm your biggest fan." He concluded with a smile.

Castiel laughed, stepping closer to Dean and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Yes I suppose that's what they do but I don't think they kiss their fans personally either." He said. "Favoritism to only one. I think people will conclude of you being a fanatic." He chuckled.

Dean smiled at the kiss and laughed. "They can call me whatever they want- I'll still be the one going home with the best author." He grinned and winked, wrapping his arms around Cas as he stepped a little closer.

Castiel smiled, putting his arms around Dean's shoulders. "Yeah that's true. Don't tell anyone that though. It might be scandalous." He teased. It was a nice thought that Dean had so much faith in him that he was going to be a big author. "You know we should go on a date before the break is over. Maybe. Or we can stay and make the day with everyone else like we said." He offered.

"I'll be sure to keep it a secret." Dean replied with a smile. "Maybe we can do both. I really want to take you on a date now, though, so definitely that before the break is over." He replied. He still hadn't though of exactly what he wanted to do with Cas for their first date- maybe a nice dinner or something. He just wanted it to be special and for Cas to enjoy it.

Castiel's face brightened, "Really? I would love to go on a date before break was over." he said happily. He always felt a bit excited when Dean would offer to do something with him and going on a date was something he think he would really enjoy, let it be something really simple or something nice as long as they were together. He leaned up and kissed Dean softly, "I can't wait." he laughed lightly.

Dean smiled at the kiss, loving Cas's enthusiasm. "So you don't care what we do? I was thinking some swanky dinner or something like that. Get all dressed up and stuff." He added, thinking that even if it wasn't something he'd normally do, it would be memorable and special, and of course he'd enjoy it with Cas.

Castiel smiled, "I don't mind. I don't care what we do as long as we're doing it together. We can dress up and go eat somewhere fancy or we can just head out and eat burgers at Ellen's and that would be fine with me." he said honestly. He laughed lightly, "Maybe we can make a middle for that. We can get dressed up and go eat hamburgers." he offered.

Dean thought for a moment and shrugged, looking down at Cas with a grin. "I like the sound of that. It's probably be more fun than some uptight fancy place." He added. That would definitely be exactly the sort of thing that would be fun and special.

"It sounds more like us than going somewhere fancy. I don't like being in that many high class places anyways. They're a lot more judgmental." Castiel told him. "I've been raised with them so I would know how they are." He said.

"Good point, I hadn't thought of you being raised like that." Dean replied. "It does sound more like us. I just want it to be special for you, yknow? I know we'll both enjoy it no matter what just cause it'll be us, but I want it to be memorable. But no judgemental, fancy places." He added.

"It will be memorable." Castiel smiled. "Us going together in dressy clothes to a diner? It'll be very fun and unique." He said. "Somewhere fancy? I'll look into it. I'll surprise you next time." He chuckled. "You'll be surprised."

Dean arched a brow and grinned. "You'll surprise me huh? We'll see how that works out." He chuckled, thinking that Cas could definitely surprise him. "We'll be fancy at a diner tomorrow and then someday you'll surprise me with a fancy dinner. Alright, I think I can handle those."

"Mmm, I'll bring you somewhere fancy." Castiel laughed. "I could surprise you with a fancy dinner whenever." He said. He hugged Dean closely. "That would mean I would have to go home to go get things to change into." He told him. "I only have casual clothes here."

"Well it'll be nice being surprised. Probably." Dean added with a smile, leaning down to kiss Cas on the cheek. "That's no problem, we can swing by your house tomorrow if you want." He offered. "There's not much else for us to do I don't think."

"We should swing by when we're close to having to go because I don't want you to see me change." Castiel bounced a little. "I want to impress you like they do in books. The moment your date takes your breath away. I want to do that." he said excited. "Can we do that? I won't see you change either if you want. You can just bring it over and we'll change separately." he offered. "I mean...we don't have to if you don't want to." he added.

Dean grinned as he listened to Cas. "That sounds perfect. So we'll get ready separately and then have a grand reveal." He replied with a smile. "I like that. I already know you're going to look breathtaking though."

"As will you but it's never the same unless you see it in person." Castiel smiled. He hugged Dean closely, "Now you have me all excited." he chuckled into Dean's neck. He was really excite and happy, he couldn't wait. It was cheesy of him but he was also a book romantic. He was going on his first date. "But not tomorrow...I'm not ready yet. Maybe in a few days?" he asked.

Dean smiled, enjoying how excited Cas was. "Good, you better be excited. I'm going to make sure it's the best first date possible." He informed Cas with a grin, hoping he could make it everything Cas would want it to be. "And of course, whenever you want."

Castiel hummed softly, "Any first date with you would be the best first date. Even if something went wrong." he said. "That's normally what happens." he chuckled. "It's okay if it's not perfect. I never expect it to be, but if we just enjoy each other that's fine with me." he told him.

"Oh yeah, I know something's going to go wrong. Probably big time." Dean replied with a chuckle. "But even if it's not perfect, it'll still be an awesome first date since it'll be you and me." He said, smiling softly.

Castiel nodded, "Yes I believe it will be too." he said. "What was your first date like? Your first ever one?" he asked. "I suppose this would be a first for you since you're going out with a male this time but what was it like when you asked a female out on a date for the first time?"

"My first ever date?" Dean replied, thinking back. "I was a freshman, it was super awkward." He said. "I took her to a movie, some chick flick she suggested. I even did that terrible pretend-to-stretch thing to put my arm around her." He shook his head, wincing slightly. "It was pretty bad." He chuckled.

Castiel laughed lightly, nuzzling into Dean's neck. "Oh? That sounds like it would be nerve-racking for you." he said. "Well that's okay. You can be awkward around me, I am myself, pretty awkward." he commented softly. "I don't know how you dealt with it when we first met."

"You're not awkward. And when we first met you were more shy, I think." Dean replied. "And even if you were, I was too distracted by you in general to really notice." He added with a smile.

Castiel arched a brow, "Distracted by me? What were you distracted by?" He asked. They were just standing in the kitchen together and it was nice.

"Well, it was the first time I started having feelings for a guy which freaked me out a little at first." Dean replied with a chuckle. "And everything about you that gave me those feelings in the first place were pretty distracting." He added.

Castiel smiled at him affectionately, kissing Dean softly. "Am I still distracting to you?" he asked with a chuckle. "I don't know how you developed feelings for me, but I'm happy you did." he said.

Dean smiled softly, leaning his forehead against Cas's. "You're my worst distraction, and I like it that way. I wonder the same about how you got to liking me, but I know why I 'developed feelings' for you. Some year when we have nothing to do I might have time to think out how to tell you all the ways that you're amazing." He replied. "But for now I'll settle with saying that I love you." He added with a grin.

Castiel let out a soft breath, "I want to hear it one day..." he said. "I have many reasons why I fell for you. I did not know I started developing feelings for you but I did. I was drawn to how you were personally. You were kind and gentle. You had a caring nature though you think you don't express it, but you do. You're like a bundle of energy, like the sun. My sun. You listened to me seriously and offered to help, brave and courageous. Fierce but sweet, You do everything you can to your best and seem to take joy in the simple things. I love many things about you Dean. I cared more about what you were like more than your physical attributes." he told him. "I noticed your green eyes, your freckles, the square-like jaw, the broad shoulders. I find you very attractive but that aside, you as a whole is far more attractive than just physical appearances." he added. "The few times you would catch my hand, put your arms around my shoulder, or let me lean on you. When you would step away, I felt like I have lost something. That something was missing, it wasn't right. My body knew before my mind did, I enjoy your touch and your warmth. You're everything special to me Dean. What you think will take you years to put together to say about me, will take me years to explain what I think you are to me." he glanced up at Dean, cupping the side of his face. "A speech of words or three words. To me...they can say a lot. I love you too." he smiled. He didn't really know if he liked Dean right off the bat, when he kissed him he just went with the flow of things but as they became closer he developed feelings for Dean.

Dean's features softened lovingly at Cas's words, the now familiar warmth fluttering in his chest. "Well, if it's going to take me years to say and you years to explain, I guess we'll have to stick together for a really long while." He replied with a smile, leaning slightly into Cas's hand that cupped his cheek.

Castiel smiled softly, "Yes we do." he said. He stared at Dean for a few moments before he leaned up and kissed him again. "We should go get ready for bed. We can't stand in the kitchen all night." he chuckled. He took Dean's hand and laced his fingers through it, walking them out of the kitchen and upstairs. He had cleaned up a little while Dean was asleep earlier, putting the other things away. He glanced back at Dean, "Do you want to use the bathroom first or me?" he asked.

"You go ahead, I'll change while you're in there." Dean replied.

He got ready while Cas was in the bathroom, sitting down on the bed and wondering if they really would still be together years from now. It wouldn't be that different from how they were now, except without Sam and Bobby. They were already basically living together, and even though they'd definitely end up in different colleges, maybe they'd be close enough to share an apartment or something. Dean shook his head slightly and ran a hand through his hair- he was thinking way too far ahead for all of that.

Castiel stepped into the bathroom first to brush his teeth, he shut the door behind him, resting the back of his head on it. He took in a deep breath. Love. It was such a curious thing that still confuses him but it was something he never wanted to understand. It was far too vast and changing to ever fully grasp, he would just go along with it. Years from now, will Dean still love him? He stepped toward the sink and glanced in the mirror. He smiled a little, years from now. What would it be like if they were still together? He hummed softly, brushing his teeth. He didn't have to think that much, he didn't want to think that far even if he did, he didn't want to fantasize so much. Dean was taking him on date sometime soon and he couldn't help but be excited. Years from now, he knew he would still love Dean. He knew it was weird to believe that but he felt like he would.

He changed out of his clothes and slowly opened the door, "You can use the bathroom now." he told him, seeing Dean in a bit of thought.

Dean glanced up when Cas came out, smiling as he stood up. "Thanks, babe." He said with a grin on his way to the bathroom, ducking over to give him a peck on the cheek as he passed. He chuckled lightly to himself after he'd closed the bathroom door, knowing that Cas was probably blushing again, but at least he'd know thathe hadn't said it for his reaction this time. He grabbed his toothbrush and started brushing his teeth, deciding that whatever happened in the future wouldn't really matter, as long as he still had Cas.

Castiel did blush like Dean predicted, he glanced back to the closed door before walking to the bed. He lightly touched his cheek where Dean gave him a kiss, smiling softly. He snuggled into the blankets and waited for Dean to come back. He hid his face a little to get rid of the blush while he waited.

Dean came out of the bathroom a few moments later, smiling when he saw Cas nestled in the blankets already. "You look comfy." He commented as he crawled into bed beside him, pulling back the blankets to slip inside next to him.

Castiel laughed lightly, immediately scooted closer to Dean. "I looked that way, but I'm not that comfy yet." He said. He hugged Dean closely and snuggled into him, letting out a soft breath. "Now I am." He smiled.

Dean smiled softly, wrapping his arms around Cas and settling in against him. "You're right, this is much better." He replied with a yawn, feeling extremely comfortable with Cas's warmth around him.

Castiel smiled, nuzzling into him. "Goodnight Dean..." He mumbled. He has been picking up on taking naps at Dean's house. He squeezed Dean closer, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

"Night Cas." Dean murmured, still tired from earlier and falling easily asleep. He didn't have any specific dreams, but he slept well and felt content.


	13. Let's Add To The Best Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long anticipated first date! Castiel is nervous about having to go outside for the first time but Dean will be there the whole time, hopefully their date goes well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm doing good with these updates simply for the fact that there's so many fucking chapters that I don't know how you guys are going to get through all of them. Seriously...There's so many.

Over the next few days, it was a slow healing process. Castiel became more confident walking around the room and then around the house, but he never went outside and Dean never pushed him to. The nightmares still came, but Dean would do his best to soothe them away.

After the first night of the incident, Castiel didn't take off his clothes in front of Dean. He felt too self conscious and vulnerable. No matter how much he knew Dean cared and said it didn't matter, he still thought it did. They showered separately but Dean didn't mind, Cas was slowly getting better and that's all that mattered.

Castiel still didn't eat very much but his portion was getting back to normal and that was a huge relief to Dean and the death scare that Cas gave him the night of the incident was pushed to the back of his mind. Neither of them brought it up so they never talked about it.

They finally set a day for their date, tomorrow.

The morning was quick to come, Castiel didn't have nightmares that night so it was a good sign, he was far too excited about his date for bad thoughts. He slowly blinked awake, seeing him still being completely cuddled by Dean. He smiled against Dean, glancing up at him. He couldn't actually move since they were so tangled together so he was content with just laying there. He buried his face back into Dean and let out a soft breath.

Dean woke up not long after, slowly blinking and glancing down at Cas to see if he was awake. "G'morning." He mumbled, stretching out around Cas before settling back against him again.

Castiel smiled up at him, "Good morning Dean." He said softly. He stretched out a little before hugging Dean again. He traced shapes into Dean's back, humming quietly.

"Sleep well?" Dean asked, eyes closing again as Cas traced shapes into his back. This was definitely how he wanted to wake up every morning.

"Always. I'm where I want to be." Castiel replied, aimlessly drawing. He glanced up at Dean before smiling. He was always happy to wake up like this, this is where he belonged.

"Mm, this is where I want you to be too. I used to hate waking up before you were the first thing I saw." Dean replied with a smile, opening his eyes again and looking down at him.

Castiel smiled at him, leaning up and kissing him. "I realized that you've been waking up a lot earlier than you used to." He said. "It makes me happy." He added. "You could wake up later and I would still be happy but it's nice to have you waking up early so we can spend more time together." He chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess I have been waking up earlier too. And for once I don't mind." Dean replied with a grin. "And today's our first date, I couldn't sleep in this morning." He added with a chuckle.

"Yes. I'm excited." Castiel laughed. "So what should we do until then?" He asked. He was still tracing shapes but he was looking at Dean.

"Hmm." Dean hummed in thought. "I don't know. We've got all day to do whatever we want." He replied, trying to think of something they could do. "Do you want to get out of the house some or just hang out here?"

Castiel glanced down for a moment, stopping his fingers. He glanced back up at Dean, "I suppose we should go outside. Will you hold my hand the whole time?" He asked. "I'm...I'm still nervous to go outside."

Dean smiled softly, taking Cas's free hand and lacing their hands together. "Of course. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He said, determined to keep his word. He was going to make sure Cas felt comfortable and was safe.

Castiel relaxed, locking up at him. "Okay." He said softly. "Can we stay around here for now?" He asked. "I don't really want to go that far out yet." He said. He wanted to work his way to it but he was definitely weary of the city and certain ways.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. We'll only go as far out as you want to." Dean replied. He didn't want to freak Cas out or evoke an attack, especially if they were planning on going out that night.

Castiel nodded, hugging Dean again and gently squeezing their hands. "Okay. Then we should go get ready..." He said, glancing up at Dean again. "We have the day to figure if I'm okay with going outside or not." He sighed.

"Yeah, we have plenty of time. We'll take it slow, okay?" Dean replied, slowly untangling himself from Cas and sitting up. "Plus, even if you don't want to, we can always postpone the date." He offered, though personally he hoped Cas would be to go out.

Castiel shook his head, "No. I want to go." He said. He didn't want to postpone it. They've already made plans and he would be upset if they couldn't go. "Just one step at a time." He said, getting up after Dean. "You can use the bathroom first." He offered. He slowly sat up as well, looking at him.

Dean nodded and stood up. "Okay, one step at a time." He agreed, going over and grabbing some clothes. He went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Castiel looked at the closed door before sighing softly. Thankfully, he was no longer sore or in pain so moving around didn't really trigger anything like it used to. He slowly got out of bed to get clothes to get changed into. After, he just sat back down on the bed. He was excited but nervous about today. He didn't want to ruin it but if he really had to, he would have to. He would prefer to save them the trouble than seeing Dean worried.

Dean splashed some water on his face and brushed his teeth, hoping everything would go smoothly. Cas seemed to really want to go out tonight, so as long as nothing went wrong they should be okay. He changed and went back into the bedroom, giving Cas a smile. "All yours." He said.

Castiel smiled at Dean, "Okay thank you." He said. He kissed Dean's cheek softly before going into the bathroom. He emerged not long after, being completely refreshed. He walked to the bedroom, "Do you want to make food or do you want us to get something?" He asked.

"Either's fine with me." Dean replied with a shrug. "If you want to go out we can, or I think there's toast and eggs and stuff." He offered.

Castiel hummed softly, taking Dean's hand. "Okay. I want you to make me breakfast then." he smiled. He wanted just spend the day completely involved with Dean and doing everything with him. "Are you okay with me taking all these requests from you?" he asked. "It's okay if you don't want to." he added.

"Nah, I don't mind at all." Dean replied sincerely. "Besides, I think I figured out how to not burn the toast." He added with a grin, glancing back at Cas as they made their way down to the kitchen. "I can do scrambled or hard boiled eggs too if you want. Those are the only kinds I know how to do." He chuckled.

"I had the scrambled last time so I'll try your hard boil eggs this time." Castiel smiled. "I like my toast a bit crispy so it's okay." he laughed lightly.

"I'm glad, cause it's probably going to come out pretty crispy." Dean replied with a laugh.

They walked into the kitchen together and Castiel looked over to Dean, "Do you want me to help you?" he asked.

"And you can get drinks if you want, but I think I can handle the rest." Deam replied as he set a pot water on the stove and pulled the toaster out of a cabinet. "My meals aren't quite as in depth as yours." He added jokingly.

Castiel laughed a bit, "It's fine if it isn't, there's nothing wrong with that." he said. "What would you like to drink this morning Dean?" he asked. He grabbed a bottle of water for himself but waited for Dean to answer him before he got him something.

"Mm, orange juice please." Dean responded, putting the eggs in the water.. He got out anything they could want to put on their toast as well as salt and pepper for the eggs. "See, this is a pretty classy breakfast. There's even separate knives for the peanut butter and regular butter." He joked with a grin.

Castiel poured Dean a glass and walked over to where they were eating and set it down. He laughed lightly. "Are you trying to impress me all of today?" He asked, smiling "Thank you Dean." He said.

"Yeah, you got me." Dean replied with a chuckle as he put some bread in the toaster. "I'm always trying to impress you though." He added with a grin, walking over to check the eggs. "But you're welcome." He added, scooping them out out once they seemed to be done.

Castiel watched Dean switch between the two, smiling at him. "I'm always quite impressed with you." He said. "I can't wait to eat what you made chef Dean." He chuckled.

Dean laughed as he walked over to grab the toast as it finished- definitely crispy- and brought everything to Cas. "Another five star meal." He replied with a grin, sitting down beside him. "Five stars for effort, anyway."

Castiel smiled at him, "Yes I do appreciate effort." he said. He took a knife and put peanut butter over it and lightly nibbled away at it. He enjoyed the crunch sound it made. He took a sip of water, "Thank you for making me food." he told him.

"Any time. You probably don't want me to cook too often if you want to eat decently, but I'm happy to whenever you want." Dean replied, taking a slice of toast and spreading on some jam. He took a bite and wrinkled his nose slightly, chuckling as he chewed. "Well, they're not burnt, so that's improvement."

Castiel nodded a little, "I'll remember it when I want to see you cook instead." he said. "Maybe I should teach you how to cook something, then you can surprise me one day." he chuckled. He slowly peeled away the shell of an egg and cut it up a little to eat it. "Where should we go outside?" he asked. "Around near the cars? The tree? Places where we shot targets?"

Dean finished his slice of toast and took a drink of juice, thinking. "Well, we have plenty of time. We could walk around all of those places, if you want." He offered. Hopefully it'd be a nice day for a walk around.

Castiel nodded, "Okay I want to." He said happily. "We can climb the tree again if we can." He offered. "I just want to be all the places we've been to and just talk today I suppose." He told him. He finished his food and water, looking over at Dean. "Should we go?" He asked.

Dean finished his juice and nodded, smiling as he stood up. "Yep, let's go." He replied, setting their plates in the sink for later as he headed towards the door. "You wanna visit the tree first?" He asked, waiting by the door for a moment to see how Cas was feeling.

Castiel took Dean's hand. "I...I want to see anywhere." He squeezed Dean's hand softly. "We can go to the tree." He said. He felt a stir of nervousness.

Dean squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Okay, tree first." He replied, glancing over and seeing Cas's nervousness. "A lot's changed since the last time we climbed this thing." He said as they slowly walked outside. Dean watched Cas from the side of his eye for any discomfort or anything so he'll know if he's pushing Cas too much.

Castiel felt scared at first but he walked next to Dean, standing closely so he could reach for him at any time,but he felt okay. He missed going outside despite his anxiety of it. They walked towards the tree as Dean tried to keep Cas's mind on more pleasant memories.

"What has changed?" Castiel asked, looking over at Dean with a small smile. They didn't come here often and it's been a few months since they've been to it again. It was colder now and the leaves were changing. This is where Dean kissed him for the first time. "We kissed in a tree, that sounds cliche and romantic." He said.

Dean laughed. "It is pretty cliche, but it was still pretty nice. I guess not as much has actually changed since then, except maybe we like each other more." He replied with a smile himself. And of course now Dean was certain of Cas's and his own feelings, which definitely made things easier and less awkward between them.

Castiel laughed lightly, "Yes that's true." He glanced up at the tree once they've made it. Maybe the tree hasn't changed but it felt like everything else has since then. Castiel glanced over at Dean, "Seems like a place to take someone's first kiss." He chuckled. "What made you kiss me in the first place?" He asked.

Dean looked up at the tree and smiled as he thought. "It felt like a good moment. The sun was setting, we were close and holding hands- all that romantic stuff- and I had to go for it." He replied, glancing over at Cas. "I was pretty nervous you'd push me out of the tree or something." He added with a laugh. "I had no idea how'd you react, but I'm glad I took a chance."

Castiel watched him as he talked, "That was pretty risky of you." He commented. "I'm glad you took the chance. I probably would have not figure it out myself if you didn't." He said. "I wasn't actually sure of how I felt but I figured it out."

"I wasn't exactly sure either." Dean admitted. "But I knew there was something, and thankfully I was right." He replied with a chuckle. "Are you feeling up to climb it? Except maybe you won't fall on me this time." He added with a grin.

Castiel laughed lightly, "Hmm who knows. I'm pretty clumsy, I might." He said. He glanced up at the tree, "Okay. I want to see the top of the tree again." He smiled. "Are you going to help me still?" He asked.

"Of course." Dean replied with a smile before he reached up and grabbed the first branch, pulling himself up and leaning down to offer Cas his hand much like the first time they'd climbed up. "So now this is your second time climbing a tree."

Castiel grinned and took Dean's hand, taking the branch as well and pulling himself up with Dean's help. "Both times with you, I like these tree climbs." he said happily. He waited for Dean to go again to follow after him, like he always will. He didn't mind that.

"I like them too." Dean replied with a smile as he helped Cas up higher. "And I think you're better than the first time you climbed it." He added, though he definitely didn't mind helping him. He actually enjoyed being needed, even for the small things like this.

"Practice makes perfect." said Castiel, "Besides, I have you to catch me if I fall so I'm trying to stick close." He teased. "I'm trying to keep up with you." He smiled, climbing into the next branch with Dean. They were almost at the top.

"I'll definitely catch you if you fall. Even if it's an accident and you just happen to land on me." Dean joked with a chuckle.

Castiel laughed, "Thank you for catching me then."

Dean climbed up to the top branch and turned to offer his hand again. "I dunno if the view's gonna be as nice as the first time, but it'll still be nice."

Castiel smiled, taking Dean's hand and climbing up. He kept hold of Dean's hand over he made it to the top like the first time. He looked over to him, "I still enjoy the view, I have you with me. That always makes it better."

"It is still pretty nice, definitely better with you." Dean replied, looking around them before resting his gaze on Cas and smiling. He squeezed his hand lightly, watching Cas look out over the view, before leaning over to kiss his cheek.

Castiel giggled, smiling over at Dean. "You give me a kiss on the cheek this time?" He asked. He leaned closer to Dean, giving him a kiss on the cheek as well. "You're adorable."

"Yeah, I know." Dean replied with a grin. "But I didn't want to interrupt you looking. You make the view better. But now that I've already distracted you..." He trailed off, leaning over to kiss Cas lightly on the lips, much more confidently than the last time they were in the same spot.

Castiel smiled, scooting a bit closer to Dean to kiss him properly. It was definitely better than the first time the first time they kissed, he was better at it and more confident. He felt the same fluttering in his heart and he felt really happy. It was sweet to him that they kissed in the tree when they started and now they know about each other's feelings and they are here again. It was sappy but he loved it.

Dean smiled slightly against him, raising his hand to the back of Cas's neck. It was funny to think of how close they'd grown together and how much had happened since the last time they were here. It hadn't always been easy, but Dean wouldn't have it any other way.

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean's shoulders, leaning up to kiss him. He smiled a little at the kiss, he broke the kiss a little to say something. "We might push each other out if this tree if we continue..." He laughed lightly.

"Mm, you're right. It's still tempting, but maybe waiting would be a good idea." Dean replied with a chuckle. He looked around again, taking a deep breath before looking back at Cas with a smile. "Well this was a good start to going outside. You wanna hang out up here for a while or go back down?"

"I'm okay with sitting up here with you, but come closer. It's still kind of cold this morning." Castiel smiled. He hugged Dean, sighing softly. "This morning was nice." He said. "We can stay up here for a while. I'm okay."

Dean smiled and chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around Cas and holding him close. "Am I warm enough to keep you warm?" He asked, content to stay up there for as long as they wanted. It wasn't as serene or impressive as their official spot, but it was still nice to get away from everything.

Castiel nuzzled against him, "Mhm. You're very warm." He said contently.

They sat there for a few moments before Castiel squeezed Dean a little, "Dean. Do you ever think about the future?" He asked. "Are you scared of what happens next?" He glanced up at him.

"I used to be." Dean admitted, looking down at him. "I used to have absolutely no idea of what I wanted or where I'd end up, and that scared me." He replied. "I still don't really know what's going to happen, but I know I'll be with you." He shrugged, smiling slightly. "So that makes it a lot less scary."

Castiel smiled at him, giving him a kiss at the bottom of his jaw. "Do you ever think that people think we're being too serious about our relationship?" he asked, lacing his fingers through Dean's. "They always say that relationships in high school aren't as important and once you go to college, you'll find someone. I don't understand why people think because you're young, you don't understand the concept of love. Are we moving too quickly? Is this just something temporary?" he made a slightly pained face at the end. "Is it going to last? We're very young Dean. We on average live to 81. That's a long time from now." he glanced up at Dean.

Dean thought for a moment, looking between Cas's eyes. "Honestly, I don't know. I'm not exactly an expert on long distance relationships, and I don't have any idea what it's going to be like when we're 81." He replied with a slight frown. "But I do know that nothing's going to change how I feel about you. I know that I'm not going to meet anyone else that will ever make me feel the way you do. I know that I love you, and I always will." He continued, ending with a soft smile.

Castiel's expression was awed and expressing a lot of different emotions. He leaned up a bit to kiss Dean softly, he cupped Dean's face and kissed him softly again as his thumbs lightly brushed back and forth. He rested his forehead against his, smiling. "I love you too. Rile calo nalamema, pi menan nalem polo." he kissed Dean's eyelid and cheek, looking at him with a matching smile. "Now and forever, I will love you." he translated.

Dean smiled, feeling a rush of love and affection. How could he possibly be afraid of the future when he knew that he would be with Cas? "I love you too, always." He promised softly, leaning his forehead against Cas's briefly before kissing him again. "So no matter what happens, we'll still have each other."

"Of course." Castiel smiled, he nuzzled against Dean again, settling his head in the crook of Dean's neck and just holding him. He felt his heart squeeze, spending his life and years with Dean. He almost wanted to just jump up and down and just tell everyone how excited he was and happy it is, but he didn't want to waste a moment away from Dean's embrace so he just snuggled closer into Dean and let out a completely content sound.

Dean smiled and held him close, closing his eyes as he leaned his head slightly against Cas's. For once, he finally believed he'd actually get a happy ending- living with someone he loved and who was better than anything he could have ever hoped for. And, best of all, he loved him too. "Part of me wants to stay like this forever and the other part wants to just go out and do everything with you, all at once." He said with a light chuckle.

"I was just thinking of that." Castiel laughed lightly against him. "I want to say how happy I am and tell everyone but I don't want to move apart from you that long to do it." he said. He hummed softly, "Maybe we should continue on our walk, then we can plan whatever else we do today." he offered. He felt okay with being outside at the moment, he was completely content and safe with Dean.

Dean laughed and nodded, slowly releasing Cas from his embrace. "I know how you feel. But we've got all the time in the world." He added with a grin as he started climbing down to a lower branch.

Castiel laughed lightly, he already missed the warmth around him but followed after Dean quickly. He slid onto the lower branch a lot easier than he did the first time. He smiled at Dean, "That sounds about right." he said as they slowly made their way down the tree.

Dean made his way down, jumping to the ground from the lowest branch. "Okay, so give me a little heads up if you're planning on falling on me and maybe I can catch you. Or at least prepare myself to be a cushion." He chuckled, glancing up at where Cas was.

Castiel was two branches up, sliding slowly down onto the next branch and making sure he had his footing. "I did not plan to fall on you the first time." he laughed a little. He looked at Dean from the last branch, "If I jump, will you catch me?" he asked. He smile, sitting on the last branch and swinging his legs back and forth.

"Uh huh, sure you didn't do it on purpose." Dean replied with fake sarcasm, grinning. "As for jumping, I'll /try/ to catch you, but no guarantees." He added, moving beneath where Cas was sitting and holding out his arms.

Castiel laughed, rolling his eyes a little. He looked down at Dean, not actually thinking that he would actually listen to his idiotic request. He let out a soft breath, slowly lowering himself to make the fall easier before letting go and bumping into Dean's arms. He shut his eyes a little then reopened them to lock eyes with green ones.

A smile spread across his face, "Hello Dean." he laughed at how close they were. "You caught me."

Dean laughed, admittedly a little surprised he'd managed to catch Cas. "I did. You're never going to know how to actually get out of a tree if you keep jumping on me." He told him. "Good thing I'll be there to catch you." He added with a grin at how cheesy it was before giving Cas a quick kiss and letting him down on the ground.

"I think getting out of the tree is funner this way if every time I fall out of it, I get a kiss from you." Castiel smiled. "If I came out of the tree normally, I wouldn't get a kiss." he chuckled as his toes touch the ground and he looked up at Dean. He laced his fingers through Dean's again. "Where to now?" he asked.

"True, and I wouldn't have an excuse to kiss you. Not that I really need one, but still." Dean replied with a laugh. He swung their hands back and forth as he thought. "Mm, we can just walk around if you want. The lot isn't that interesting, but it's a pretty nice day."

Castiel glanced at their swinging hands, laughing a little before glancing back up at Dean. "Hmm. Oh, how about you show me how to shoot a gun again." he offered. "I kind of forgot how, but I think I'll remember once you show me." he smiled. "I still remember some of the things you taught me about fighting." he said happily.

Dean nodded and smiled. "Okay, sure. It's kind of like riding a bike- it'll come back to you once you have a gun in your hands again." He assured him, figuring he could give Cas a refresher if he needed one. He led the way back to the house so they could get the guns, still swinging their arms together.

Castiel squeezed their joined hands, swinging them easily with Dean. He laughed softly, "Happy?" he asked. He thought it was adorable on how happy Dean seemed and the little gesture he did to show it. He knew what it felt like, he was really happy too. They were redoing what they did before he disappeared and it was really nice. Most of them were huge points in their developing relationship. He smiled, following Dean.

"Of course I'm happy- this is pretty fun." Dean replied, glancing over at Cas with a grin. It really was nice, just walking around and doing random things again together. He walked up into the house, holding the door open for Cas, and walked over to where the guns were. "Which do you want?"

"Uhm...I think it was a sig that you showed me the first time. Can I use that again? I'm not sure if I'm ready for much else." Castiel said shyly. He was still unsure of how to use a gun and didn't want to step out of what he knew just yet. He wanted to make sure he wouldn't accidentally hurt someone before he tried.

"Yep, it was last time. Sig it is." Dean replied with a nod, taking it off the rack along with some ammo. "Okay, let's go shoot some cans." He said, looking over at Cas with a grin as he closed the cabinet again.

Castiel smiled, following after Dean to the spot they were before. He watched him set everything up and whatnot, waiting for him to come back. He looked over at Dean, "I like how this day is going. It reminds me of all the things we've done together and it's nice." he said. He vaguely remember what Dean taught him, he'd probably just needed to hold it again to remember.

"I like it too. It's like we're redoing all the good stuff we've done. In a good way." Dean replied with a chuckle as he loaded it up again for Cas. "Okay, you ready to try it out again?" He asked, holding it out to him.

"Except maybe having intercourse on the ground." Castiel laughed lightly, taking the gun from Dean.

He ran his fingers over it, remembering some things that Dean said. He parted his legs a little, holding it one hand and the other holding the bottom and his other hand. He bent his arm slightly as the other was straight, looking down the gun and into where he should aim. He remembered that there was a recoil and he should prepare himself for it. He aimed at one of the cans, before remembering to breathe a certain way. Dean gave him the advice to steady himself a bit. He slowly let out a breath as he shot the can, it barely hit the can and it wobbled a bit before it fell over. Castiel grinned, looking over at Dean.

"I hit it!" he said happily.

Dean watched Cas, smiling slightly as he remembered everything he'd taught him. His smile widened when he hit the can, and he grinned elatedly over at Cas. "That was awesome!" He praised, clapping him on the back. "See, you didn't really forget. I think you've gotten better."

Castiel felt happy that Dean praised him, "Really?" he asked. "I'm still not as great as you but it's something." he smiled. "You're so amazing at this, it's very cool." he said. "Thank you for showing me. I like learning parts about you." he chuckled a little.

"Well I've had a lot more practice, but that's still really impressive. I mean it's been a while since you've even held a gun and it's your second time, but you managed to hit a can." Dean replied, grinning. He was proud that he'd been the one to teach Cas and that he was already so good. "No problem, I like showing you, especially when you turn out to be this good."

"Anyone can learn something, If you take the time to teach them." Castiel told him. "I just had someone who could teach me really well." He smiled. "Thank you for the praise though. It's nice to hear."

"It's nice to hear you compliment my teaching." Dean replied with a smile. "Although you're a pretty good student too. So do you want to try to hit a few more?" He asked, gesturing to the other few cans.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "Will I get to see you hit some if I hit some of them?" he asked. He liked watching Dean do what he does best and it was really captivating to watch. He looked back at the can before raising the gun and trying again. He hit the can more dead on and it flew back and he smiled brightly. He handed the gun to Dean, making sure it was facing down without his finger on the trigger. "Here you go." he offered.

"Nice hit!" Dean congratulated with a smile before taking the gun from him. He took a slight breath before shooting down the remaining cans in quick succession, blowing on the barrel of the gun and grinning at Cas. It was nice to have someone who was impressed with the things he did.

Castiel clapped his hands in awe. "I don't think I'll ever get used to how well you do that. It's so amazing." He praised. "I love watching you shoot or do anything you love." He said

Dean smiled warmly at the praise. "And I'll never get tired of hearing you say things like that." He replied with a chuckle. He loved how enthusiastic Cas got over things like this, as if whatever Dean was doing was really incredible.

"Then I'll never tire of telling you how amazing it is." Castiel smiled. He walked over to Dean and kissed him on the cheek. "Would you like to continue our walk now?" He asked. "Or we can go back inside and stay in?" He asked. Either one they would have to go back in but they can go back out if they wanted.

Dean smiled at Cas's kiss before he shrugged, taking Cas's hand again as try started walking back towards the house. "I don't know, I don't think there's anything else interesting out here." He replied.

"You're out here." Castiel told him, easily following him. "We can watch a movie until later. I'm not even sure what time we should leave." He said.

"Okay, a movie sounds good. I don't really know when we should leave either- I guess it doesn't matter too much, we can eat whenever we want." Dean replied as they walked back to the house and he put the sig away.

"Hmm, how about 6:30 we leave to my house? It would be better to get there early than late and we can leave on time." Castiel told him. "I think that's enough time and an appropriate time to be eating dinner." He smiled brightly.

Dean nodded and returned his smile, enjoying his enthusiasm. "6:30 sounds good to me." He replied. "So what kind of movie do you want to watch? We have pretty much every kind."

Castiel hummed, "Something with comedy." He said. They choose a movie and snuggled together. They had a blanket and used each other as pillows. They didn't even watch all the movie, they were halfway through the movie before they were distracted. Castiel was settled in his lap by the end and not side by side from how they started. Castiel was cuddling him and giving him a bunch of kisses. He always enjoyed giving Dean lots of affection, mostly in forms of kisses.

Dean was smiling underneath Cas's kisses, enjoying his affections more than the movie anyway. "We never seem to actually watch any movie we start." He commented with a chuckle as he realize the movie was over. "Not that I mind." He added.

Castiel laughed lightly, "I get distracted by the certain someone next to me so I might as well keep him distracted." He said as he kissed Dean's cheek again. He was just littering Dean's face with kisses, laughing a little between some. He has yet to actually kiss him but he was doing that on purpose.

Dean chuckled. "It's not my fault you're distracted so easily by me. The same goes for me about you, but still. So my punishment for distracting you is kisses across my face?" He joked, laughing lightly.

Castiel settled back on his lap, looking at him as he rested his arms on his shoulders. "If I really wanted to punish you, I would say you can't kiss me. Would you prefer I punish you? I'll just let myself up." He said, looking at him with a slightly amused face.

"Whoa, that's a little drastic. I only distracted you from the movie." Dean protested with a slight smile. "Besides, you distracted me too. We cancelled each other out." He added with a grin.

Castiel chuckled, "I suppose that's true." He smiled, leaning in and kissing Dean's nose. "You're very distracting but I love distracting you." He said.

"I love being distracted. Especially by you." Dean replied, watching Cas with a grin. "So I guess it works out." He added, waiting for Cas to actually kiss him but knowing he must be doing this on purpose.

Castiel smiled, kissing Dean's face, still not touching his lips. He kissed the side of Dean's mouth but not his lips. He glanced back up at Dean with an amused look. He gently stroked Dean's hair in his hands, "I think we should leave soon hmm?" He said playfully, knowing that Dean probably noticed him not kissing him correctly. He slowly shifted in Dean's lap to seem like he was getting up.

"What, I don't get a real kiss?" Dean asked with a slight pout, tightening his arms slightly on Cas since he seemed about to stand up. "We have enough time for that." He added with a slight smile.

Castiel resettled in his lap, looking back at Dean. "I gave you a lot of kisses. I don't believe they are fake." He teased, pretending not to know. "Are you going to keep me captive?" He asked.

"Of course I'm keeping you captive. You know what I mean by fake kisses." Dean whined. "Is this my punishment for distracting you? Next time we watch a movie I can leave you alone." He threatened playfully.

Castiel laughed lightly, "How come I don't believe that?" He asked. He looked at Dean for a few moments before giving him a quick peck. "Better?" He laughed a little.

Dean sighed dramatically. "Not really, but I guess I'll live." He mumbled, looking up at him. "I might live, probably not." He added, holding back a smile.

"You won't live?" Castiel played along, "Oh no! We can't have that. I would be knightless and dateless." He smiled a little, leaning in and kissing Dean properly. He cupped Dean's face and leaned in. His thumb rubbing across his jaw. They kissed for a few moments before Castiel pulled away slightly, looking back at him. "Will you live now?" He asked.

Dean leaned into the kiss happily, smiling as Cas pulled back again. "Hmm, it's not guaranteed, but it's a lot more likely I'll live." He replied with a grin. "Now I can keep being your date and knight." He added with a laugh.

"Hmm do you need more kisses to guarantee that you will?" Castiel asked, leaning in again and kissing him again as he smiled. He gave him a few more kisses before pulling away, "Better?" He asked.

Dean pretended to hum in thought for a moment before he broke into a grin and nodded. "Yep, definitely better." He replied, loosening his grip so that Cas could actually get up this time. "It at least guaranteed I'll live through our date, at least." He joked.

"Well that would only mean I would need to kiss you some more." Castiel smiled, kissing Dean on the cheek before getting up. "Do you want to go now?" He asked.

"That's the plan." Dean replied with a grin to Cas saying he would need more kisses. He stood up after Cas. "Yeah, okay. Let me go put my clothes in a bag though so you don't see." He smiled, going upstairs for a few moments before returning with his bag. He had to admit, he really liked Cas's idea of not showing each other until they were both ready.

Castiel rocked back and forth on his heels while he waited for Dean, he was so excited. He wondered a little if anyone was home but he figured no one would be. Gabriel and Anna were here recently so he assumed they would check the house before they left or stayed. He glanced back at Dean when he came back, smiling at him.

"Okay let's go." he chirped.

Dean beamed at Cas's excitement, finding his enthusiasm contagious. "Alright, after you." He replied with a chuckle, following behind Cas to the impala as he held his hand. He put his bag in the back seat and slid into the drivers side, glancing over at Cas again and smiling. "You know, you don't look too thrilled to do this. Maybe we should just stay home." He teased, grinning over at him before he started to drive to Cas's house.

Castiel rolled his eyes a little with a smile. "Oh? I don't? Maybe it's because someone isn't trying to be as romantic as he should be." he glanced back over at Dean. "I don't think I could get more thrilled than I am now. What did you want me to be doing? Bouncing off the walls?" he chuckled.

"Hey, our date hasn't started yet. I can't turn on the romantic-ness before we're both ready. It's gotta all go together." Dean informed him with a grin. "And no, you're right. If you were any more excited looking you'd probably be vibrating." He said with a chuckle.

"Do I really look that excited?" Castiel asked, glancing at him. "Am I that much of an open book to you?" he chuckled. "I should work on that, so you would have to guess what I'm thinking." he hummed. He was still smiling regardless, he was happy and he didn't feel like covering it up. Plus it was better he was so excited, it made him not think of the bad things over the last few days.

"Oh don't worry, there's plenty of times when I have no idea what you're thinking." Dean replied. "Besides, I like being able to see how happy you are." He added, glancing over at Cas with a smile as they neared his house.

Castiel laughed lightly, "I enjoy seeing you happy as well." he said. "That's good I'm not always an open book to you, then you wouldn't get bored of how you can guess everything I'm going to do." he told him. He could see his house and there was no cars or lights on. No one was probably home.

"Eh, I wouldn't get bored even if I knew what you were going to do." Dean replied as he pulled up to the house. "Looks like no one's home- you ready to get changed and stuff?" He asked as he parked, looking up at him.

Castiel nodded, "Yeah. Let's go. You can use the room next to mine. If you finish beforehand, you can go downstairs or something if you would like." He told him. "I think that would be a good idea. So would you be okay with that?" He asked, not moving from the seat yet though he felt like he should be already bouncing and going.

"Sounds good to me." Dean replied with a smile. He glanced over at Cas and chuckled, loving how excited he was to be dressing up to go to a diner. He slid out of the car and grabbed his bag, waiting or Cas to get out to follow him. "So if I finish first I'll wait downstairs." He affirmed as they walked.

Castiel nodded, taking Dean's hand and just walking them into the house. He felt a bit skeptical to be here, would they really leave the house alone? He glanced around as he walked, seeing if he saw anyone, but he didn't. He led Dean upstairs and walked him to the room next to his, "Here you go. If you need anything, tell me." he smiled. He relaxed slightly since he didn't see anyone but he always felt tense when he came home.

Dean smiled at Cas, noticing that he seemed tense but knowing he wouldn't be able to really relax until they'd left. He gave Cas's hand a squeeze before he slowly let go and walked into the room he'd indicated. He closed the door and took a deep breath, oddly nervous now that he was alone. He'd never done anything like this, he hoped it would turn out as well as he wanted it to.

"Okay. Best first date. I can do this." He muttered quietly to himself, setting down his bag and carefully pulling out his clothes.

He snapped out the pants and jacket to smooth any wrinkles they'd gotten on the ride up before changing into his suit. He grabbed his tie, straightening it as much as he could before running his hands through his hair a few times in an attempt to make it lay as nicely as possible.

"This'll be easy, Cas'll love it no matter what." He told his reflection before rolling his eyes at his own nerves.

It was ridiculous that he felt this way- he and Cas would have a good time. It was that simple. He fidgeted with his tie again before deciding that he looked the best he possibly could and heading out the door, a glance over at Cas's room telling him he should wait downstairs. He stood at the foot of the stairs with his hands in his pockets, trying to ease the fluttering of anticipation in his chest.

Castiel walked back to his room, closing the door softly behind him. He quickly went to his closet and took out one of his jackets and pants. He hummed softly, glancing over at his ties. He picked up the blue one because him and Dean had a few moments with it before. He changed out of his clothes and into his more dressed clothes. He walked in front of the mirror and tucked in his shirt and did his tie. He did this for many social events but this one was for something special. He gently brushed through his hair, smiling a little. He picked up a small bag and took a few things with him that he might need before going back in front of the mirror for the last time to check himself. He felt a bit nervous but he was really excited. He hoped that Dean would like how he looked. He quickly took the bag before walking out of his room and closing it. He wondered if Dean was downstairs but even if he wasn't he'd wait for him first. He walked down to see Dean standing there with his hands in his pockets. Castiel swallowed a bit, Dean looked so handsome in his attire, he looked like something right out of a fairy tale and it made Castiel's heart flutter and beat rapidly. He saw that Dean tried to smooth out his hair but he liked his normal hair. He continued walking down the stairs, finding him even more attractive and stunning as he walked down. He walked down to the foot of the steps, never once taking his eyes off of him.

"You look amazing." he said. "I don't even think I have any words that would do you justice." he laughed a little.

Dean turned when he heard Cas speak, too preoccupied with calming himself to hear him walk down the stairs. His eyes widened immediately, scanning over Cas quickly before meeting his eyes again. He opened his mouth to try to come up with an adequate compliment, but instead his lips moved silently for a moment as he looked Cas up and down again.

"Wow." He managed after recollecting his thoughts. "Cas, you look incredible." He said sincerely, meeting Cas's eyes again.

Castiel smiled bashfully, glancing down for a moment before looking back up at Dean with a small blush. "Thank you Dean." he said. He finally had Dean facing toward him and he saw that his tie was a little off, he stepped a bit closer and adjusted his tie to straighten it out. "You're very stunning and eye catching. I'm worried there's going to be people who are going to try to snatch you away from me." he chuckled a little. He finally fixed it and smoothed it out with his fingers, looking up at Dean. His breath got caught in his throat a little, looking at Dean so closely. Those green eyes he loved so much, the freckles that are scattered across his cheeks, just the affection he expressed. He was so handsome. He felt his heart squeeze at how much he loved Dean and it was calming but also a bit scary.

Dean smiled softly, his earlier nerves soothed by Cas's closeness as he fixed Deans tie. "Well if anyone wants to snatch me away, they'll take one look at you and know they don't have a chance." He replied, looking lovingly into Cas's deep, crystal blue eyes. "I guess that makes me lucky though, since no one's going to think they even stand a tiny chance with you so they won't even try to steal you away." He said, resting his hand on top of Cas's.

A small huff of laughter past through Castiel as he smiled, his blush deepened just slightly. He just stared at Dean for a few moments, "You're so sweet." he said. "Very charming with words." he added. He turned his hand slightly to hold Dean's hand. "I guess it does come all at once. Once you put it all together, you are trying to romance me." he laced his fingers through Dean, never once breaking eye contact.

"Of course I'm trying to romance you." Dean replied with innocence, smirking slightly at Cas's blush. "It's our first date, I have to try to impress you so you'll want to see me again." He said, more than happy to keep the connection between their eyes. "I think it might be working." He added, breaking into a grin.

Castiel laughed a little, "Already thinking ahead for the second date? My, are we optimistic?" he smiled. "I think it's working too." he said. "I would love to kiss you right now before we leave but you're not supposed to kiss your date this quickly, no matter how good looking they are." he chuckled. "But there's a possibility of me kissing you later if you still want to romance me."

"True, kissing me now would definitely give me the wrong idea." Dean replied with a laugh. "So I'll keep romancing you until I've earned a kiss." He reached down and grabbed Cas's bag before he turned and offered his elbow for Cas to wrap his arm around, smiling.

Castiel was just over the moon at how happy he was right now. He smiled at Dean, wrapping his arm around his elbow. He was feeling so many emotions at the same time that he could hardly contain them. He didn't even want to. He already figured this was the best first date ever, even if something did go wrong. He would love every part of whatever happened. He was being treated so preciously and lovingly by Dean that it was making him overwhelmed with just his feelings.

Dean smiled widely, loving how much Cas seemed to be enjoying this already. They walked over to the car and Dean took a few half jogging steps to be sure he got to Cas's door first, opening it for him and ushering him inside with a grin. He put his bag in the back and went around to his side, sliding in and glancing over at Cas happily.

'So far, so good.' he thought as he started the impala up.

Castiel wanted to giggle on how cute and considerate Dean was being. He let Dean open his door for him, blushing a little as he slipped in. He felt like his smile was just permanently on his face. He looked over at Dean, "You're such a gentleman." he said. He held his hand out for Dean to hold, wanting to just show any sort of affection he could, let it be big gestures or small ones.

Dean glanced over at Cas with a grin as he took his hand and started driving. "I told you I can be romance-y sometimes." He replied. "And I definitely have to bring my A game tonight if I'm going to have any hope of getting a kiss from you. Although I guess some of the pressures off since I already know you're coming home with me." He added jokingly, chuckling lightly.

"You're romantic most of the time." Castiel corrected him with a smile. "Hmm, is the pressure really off?" he asked, glancing over at Dean. "I could be coming home with you, but I could be a moody date and just lead you on." he teased, knowing he could never resist leaning in and kissing Dean and if he did he'd know he'd kiss him later. He rubbed his thumb over Dean's knuckles, gently squeezing his hand.

"Hm, that's true, you could just be a tease. But looking at that smile that's been glued to your face, I don't think you could be moody." Dean replied, grinning and glancing over at Cas. He was ecstatic that Cas was still so happy and enthusiastic- hopefully he could make that elatedness last all evening. Cas deserved to be happy, mostly after those events, he was so happy to see Cas smiling and laughing again so freely

"You're probably right. I don't think I could resist someone like you taking me out on a date. I feel completely special and I don't think I could be moody for how happy I am." Castiel looked over at him. "Even if something went wrong, I would still treasure this preciously." he said.

Dean smiled softly, his heart melting at Cas's words. His earlier nerves seemed even more ridiculous now- Cas was going to treasure this no matter what happened, even if he screwed up. "You are very special, especially to me, so I'm glad you feel that way tonight." He replied, squeezing his hand slightly. "And I'm definitely going to remember this, even if something goes horribly wrong. Hopefully it won't, but so far it's better than i'd hoped." He admitted, glancing over at Cas.

Castiel smiled softly at Dean telling him that he was very special to him. He felt special but Dean telling him that he was made him just fill even more with affection. He gently squeezed Dean's hand in return, "Where should we go? Are we going back to Ellen's or should we go somewhere that Gabriel gave us those coupons for?" he asked. He had forgot about them but he remembered them yesterday night. "We can go a bit further or we can just go to where we know." he smiled. "Where do you want to go?" he asked.

"Oh, I forgot about those coupons." Dean replied. He wasn't sure what restaurants they were for, but he supposed they could go back and check. Then again, he felt somewhat impatient to really get started on the actual date part. "How about we stick to Ellen's for tonight? We use the coupons next time?" He asked.

Castiel nodded, "Okay." He replied. He was fine with anything and they're going to somewhere they know. They arrived not that much later. Castiel glanced back at Dean before that, "We're just going back and adding to the memories we have. We signified that this is when our relationship became official." He smiled.

"And now it's even more official." Dean replied, looking over at Cas and smiling affectionately. He got out of the car and came around to Cas's side before he had a chance to get out, opening the door for him again. "So let's go add some more good memories." He offered.

Castiel smiled, "Thank you." He said first, before getting it off the car and looking back at Dean. "Yes we will add to our memories." He replied.

He took Dean's arm again, knowing they probably looked weird but he couldn't cared less. He was with Dean and that's all that mattered. He wasn't going to let himself ruin the night, much less someone else. They walked in and Jo was walking over, talking to someone else before turning to them.

"Yeah I got your order. Afternoon, how many-" she stopped once she knew it was them.

Castiel blushed slightly. "Hello Jo." He said.

Jo grinned, "Oh you guys look handsome. Mom would love to see this." She said. "Mom! Castiel and Dean are here!" She called.

"Been a while since we've last seen you boys. Thought y'all forgot about us " Ellen called back from the kitchen. She soon came out, wiping her hands. She looked them over and smiled, "You boys on a date?" She asked.

Jo nodded, "Sure are. Look at how they're dressed." She smiled.

Ellen chuckled, "You boys look dashing. Don't try to woo my customers now or my workers." She glanced at Jo.

Jo huffed, "It's not wrong to look." She said. She turned back to them, "Please follow me." She led them to the booth they sat at the first time and she handed them their menus. She look the pencil out of her hair, "What do you two want to drink tonight? A milkshake with two straws?" She teased. "You clean up well Dean. I'm impressed. I already knew that Castiel would probably look stunning with his blue eyes but you two are really easy on the eyes." She laughed a little.

Dean chuckled, glad they'd gone somewhere familiar dressed like this. It probably would've been a lot more awkward to be so overdressed some place else, but here it wasn't so bad. "Thanks, I'm glad I look good enough." He joked. "I'll have a coke." He added, though he had to admit that the thought of sharing a milkshake was appealing- as cliche as it seemed.

Castiel hummed softly, glancing over at Dean before back at Jo. "I think I would like to share a milkshake with Dean." He said. "And a water please." He added.

Jo paused for a moment before grinning, "You guys are perfect. I'll be back with your drinks." She chuckled before leaving.

Castiel blushed a little, twirling his fingers a little. He glanced at Dean, "Did you want to share with me? I can ask her not to bring it if you don't." He said.

Dean smiled and caught his fingers like so many times before. "Of course I wanted to share with you. I always want to share with you. Plus it apparently makes us perfect." He added with a chuckle.

Like every time Dean catches Castiel's fingers, it calms him. Castiel smiled, lacing his fingers through Dean's as he looked up. He chuckled lightly, "I feel like she is enjoying this immensely." he said. He tilted his head slightly, "What would you like to eat today Dean? I feel like we should order the same thing we had before." he smiled.

"She probably is." Dean replied with a chuckle. "That's okay, so are we." He added, smiling. "So the same things we got last time we were here- sounds good to me." He said, knowing that he'd enjoyed it last time so of course he would this time. It was oddly nice, going back through and reliving all the best memories they've had.

Jo soon came back and put their drinks on the table, "Coke, water, and a milkshake with two straws." she smiled. She tucked the tray under her arm, "Okay what would you guys like to eat?" she asked.

"We're thinking of ordering what we had last time. So the usual." Castiel told her.

Jo nodded, noticing them holding hands and she felt happy for them. "Alright. I'll be back with your orders soon then." she smiled, she didn't want to intrude so she left them alone again.

Castiel rubbed his thumb across Dean's knuckles, "You know, when we held hands here. I noticed how much bigger your hands were, they were a little rough and that they had freckles on them too." he chuckled.

"So I have big rough hands?" Dean replied with a chuckle. "That's good I guess because yours fit in them perfectly." He said as he grabbed a straw with his free hand and stuck in the shake before handing doing the same with Cas's straw and turning it towards him.

"You have slightly bigger hands than mine. You are taller so I would think you would but you also have callouses on your hands because of the hard work you have done before. All the work you've put into the impala, any other car, taking care of Sam, they are an indication of you doing so many things with your hands." Castiel replied as he continuously rubbed his thumb back and forth. He glanced up at Dean as he turned the shake toward him. He leaned up, catching the straw as Dean did. Their faces were really close and Castiel smiled against his straw, laughing lightly once he drank a little. He leaned over a little more and kissed Dean on the nose. He couldn't resist not kissing Dean so he settled for a small one.

Dean grinned and chuckled when Cas kissed his nose, taking another sip of the shake before sitting up slightly. He'd never really thought about his hands like that, but it was sweet that Cas seemed to have. "You always seem to see little details like that about me. I hardly notice stuff like that about myself."

"That would be only right. You can't really see much of yourself or examine yourself that closely, where I can see you all the time so I see things that you overlook because it's always there. There's always tiny aspects about someone that someone else will see but you'll forget because it's just a part of you. You can only really see yourself twice. Once in a picture and in the mirror. You don't get to see yourself constantly like I can, the way you smile, the way you look at me, the small expressions you have, the gestures you do, all the small details that you cannot see and overlook, I see. So if you overlook them, I'll be here to tell you what I see." Castiel smiled at him. "Every aspect of you, if you think it's a flaw or not is perfect to me."

Dean smiled softly, feeling a rush of affection at Cas's words. "The same goes for you. I love every part of you, everything you do and say." He said quietly. "You're always amazing me as surprising me, and I love every moment of it."

Castiel smiled, he was happy that Dean enjoyed their time together as much as he did. That every moment is precious, no matter how small it is. They were always so sappy around each other but for some reason, they didn't care. They often said how much they adored the other just to see them smile. Being with Dean brought out the poetic side of Castiel and it made him want to write in his name about how curious the being Dean he has come to love was so amazing

Jo slowly popped back in, making sure they were done talking before she came to intrude. She saw that little atmosphere around them and didn't want to invade. She gently set down their food on the table, "Bacon cheeseburger, extra cheese with everything on it. Fries for Dean and mash potatoes for Castiel." she smiled. "You guys make a really cute couple." she said.

Castiel glanced up at her, "Thank you." he replied.

Jo smiled again, "Call us if you need anything." she said before leaving.

Dean watched Jo leave and chuckled lightly, turning back to Cas. "Everyone seems to think we're cute. I guess that's good though." He said, gently releasing their hands so that they could eat. He took a bite of the burger and grinned as he chewed, swallowing before he spoke. "Still just as good as I remembered."

Castiel smiled, cutting his up as he did before and bit into it. He slowly swallowed the food, "Yes, still tastes the same as I remember too." he said. "I'm glad that we can be perfectly comfortable here and not have to think so much." he added, slowly eating his food.

"Yeah, this was a good place to come for our first date." Dean replied with a smile. He felt relaxed and content, and so far nothing had gone the slightest bit wrong. He felt a bit paranoid but he was also relieved that they'd get a trouble free day. "It's nice to be able to relax and just hang out." He added between bites.

"That is very true and it's nice seeing Ellen and Jo." Castiel nodded a little. He sipped a bit on the milkshake, enjoying the sweet taste. He was slowly eating away at his food before he glanced at Dean. He sometimes wondered how Dean ended up with him, he was just staring a little at his sandy blond hair, his freckles. He smiled a little, he felt lucky that he did.

Dean glanced up from his burger, noticing Cas staring at him. "What's wrong?" He asked, setting down his burger to wipe his mouth with a napkin, thinking he must have something on his face.

Castiel shook his head, "Nothing's wrong. I was just staring, thinking." he replied. He moved his legs a little to adjust and catch one of Dean's legs under the table. They couldn't hold hand but this could make up for it.

Dean smiled as Cas caught his leg, moving it out slightly to make it easier for Cas and moving his other leg against Cas's. "So what're you thinking about? Other than how amazing we both are." He added with a chuckle.

"I know a lot about you but I also don't." Castiel glanced at him. "I think it would be an idea to ask you questions." he smiled. "What's your favorite season?" he asked.

Dean smiled slightly at Cas wanting to get to know him better. He thought about it for a moment before replying. "Probably summer. There's a lot more freedom in summer, even if it gets really hot. What about you?" He asked curiously.

"Spring." Castiel replied. "Life begins again in spring. The snow melts away and the animals start making their lives again. The flowers start budding as the trees grow leaves. The world is becoming lush again as the life cycle continues. I enjoy all the seasons but I like spring the best." he told him.

Dean smiled, loving Cas's explanation. He always seemed to think things through on a deeper level than most people, which was a main reason why Dean was so confident he'd be such an amazing writer. "That's a good reason." He said before pausing slightly. "You always seem to be able to put your thoughts together so well into words. Which makes sense since you're a writer, but it's pretty impressive."

"I'm good at putting my thoughts into words because my actions never spoke for me. I'm not strong, I am not courageous or brave. I am quiet. I could never have people listen on action alone, it has never worked for me. I think a lot more, wrapped in with all the thoughts in my mind. I am at peace and chaos when I think. It's easy yet hard for me to say what I think because I was silenced for many years so I have a lot to say." Castiel looked at him. "I think of what I have to say before I voice it, but when I'm with you or alone with my notebook, it flows out easily and smoothly even when I get scared that you'll hate me for saying something wrong. You're the place that I can be myself, confide in and not have to worry. Being able to word your thoughts is a good skill to have but not having the backbone and support to pull it through will not help you. I look for that in you, something to achieve. I look up to you Dean, you're very special to me. You make me want to become better and make you proud of me." he smiled.

Dean smiled back at him softly, still hardly able to believe that he meant so much to Cas. "I'm already proud of you. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you consider me your backbone, and I hope I can keep supporting you. I already know you're going to be amazing, but if I can do anything to help you get there, I'll be more than happy to help you out." He replied.

"I know you would." Castiel smiled. He was just at peace and he was so happy, he used to question his existence, what he was doing with his life, was he making the right choices. All those years of suffering, being alone, never speaking up. All of it was worth meeting Dean. Maybe that was an overstatement but he felt like the ease was lighter, it didn't go away because some scars just ran too deep but meeting Dean gave him hope. To have someone pick you up. He never felt like he had a purpose, someone to treat him so preciously, someone to tell him he was special. He was glad he'd never given up, that he'd never stopped pushing forward even when he fell down and thought it was the end. He wanted to tell Dean how much he meant to him but there would never be enough words for him. He just looked at Dean and their finished plates, he really wanted to kiss him, just to pour all his feelings into him.

Dean smiled as he finished his burger, taking another drink of the milkshake. Everything felt perfect here with Cas, and tonight was going better than he had hoped. "So is this a good first date so far?" He asked with a grin.

"Yes, it's perfect." Castiel smiled at him. He took a drink of the milkshake as well, helping Dean finish it. "So would you like to have dessert here or would you like to go home and eat dessert there?" he asked. They could have the pie to go so he wanted to ask. He was just thinking of kissing Dean for how nice the night was, but kept himself in check to not show that he really wanted to kiss him. His eyes flickered a bit to Dean's lips but he caught himself.

"Mm, how about we take it home?" Dean offered.

He wanted to get home so he could really show how happy he felt, since he couldn't do it in public. Plus the distance across the booth definitely felt too large for him. He noticed Cas's eyes flicker down to his lips and he smirked, wondering if Cas was thinking the same was looking away to distract himself before he glanced back at Dean who smirked, he blushed. He got caught looking.

Jo came back and saw that they were done, she gathered everything and set it on a tray, "That's all I can do for you guys?" she asked.

"Uhm...I think Dean wants pie to go and I'm fine." Castiel told her.

Jo noted the blush but didn't say anything. "Okay, be right back with that and the bill." she smiled.

Dean grinned at Cas's blush. 'Yeah, he was definitely thinking the same thing.' He chuckled lightly as he pulled out his wallet. "I'm definitely paying for all of this, by the way. I'm taking you on the date so I'm paying." He said firmly.

Castiel wasn't going to argue with Dean, since he wanted to leave and he could show him how appreciated he was and repay him back another time or in other ways. "Thank you Dean." he smiled. "That's kind of you." he added.

Jo soon came back with a small bag and a bill, she set it down for them. "Well I hope you guys had a great night and you guys come by more often. We're not strangers." she smiled.

"Okay, thanks, we will." Dean replied with a smile, glancing at the check and laying out a few bills. "No problem, don't mention it." Dean said to Cas, glad he hadn't tried to pay for it. "You ready?" He asked Cas, knowing that he definitely was. He grabbed the bag with the pie and stood up, leading the way over to the door and opening it for Cas with a smile, following behind him.

They said their goodbyes to everyone before they left, Castiel held Dean's hand as they walked to the car. He hummed quietly, remembering when he held Dean's hand for the first time outside and he caught his pinky. He smiled softly, Dean had kissed him here too. He glanced at Dean, wondering if he was thinking of what he was.

Dean smiled, stopping by Cas's door and squeezing his hand slightly. "You remember last time we were here?" He asked, though he already knew that Cas did. He moved closer with a smile. "I hope you don't think I'm too forward if I kissed you?" He asked with a grin.

Castiel smiled up at him, "That was a really fantastic date...but I don't know. Do I kiss on the first date?" he asked, eyes flickering down to Dean's lips before back to his eyes. His free hand was playing with Dean's tie as he licked his lips a little. "I guess I'll make an exception for how much of a gentleman you are. I think you've earned it. I expect a second date." he laughed lightly before tugging on Dean's tie to kiss him.

Dean grinned as Cas pulled him in, meeting his kiss enthusiastically. He'd hardly had to wait for this kiss, but it had felt like days instead of hours. "I'm glad I was such a gentleman then." He murmured against Cas's lips before kissing him again. He moved closer against him, wrapping his free hand around Cas's waist.

Castiel smiled a little, playing with the tie between his fingers. He leaned up to Dean, more than happy to return the anticipated kiss. He dragged it out even though he wanted to kiss Dean really badly, but he couldn't let it be that easy could he? He lightly bit at Dean's lip before pulling back slightly to look at him. "Take me home?" he asked softly, looking at him.

Dean sighed exaggeratedly but smiled. "Okay. Home we go." He replied, moving aside slightly to open the car door for Cas and closing it after him once he was in. He went around to his side and slid in, setting the pie down on the back before offering his hand to Cas again.

Castiel gladly took his hand, lacing his fingers through his. He was absolutely happy. He rubbed his thumb across his knuckles, humming softly. "Thank you for tonight Dean. I'm really happy." He smiled.

Dean glanced over at him and smiled. "You're welcome, I had a really great time. I think it was a pretty awesome first date, overall." He added. "I'll definitely ask for a second date some time." He grinned.

"I get to ask you next time, I get to ask you for my first date asking you." Castiel smiled. "I'll look forward to when you ask though." he said. He squeezed Dean's hand gently, "This was a perfect and memorable night Dean. I'm glad I spent it with you." he looked over at him.

"Me too. I don't think it could've gone any better, and I'm really glad you liked it." Dean replied as they started to near the house. "And I can't wait for you to ask me out. You better hope I say yes." He teased with a grin.

"I'll pray on my lucky stars that I'll have a chance with you." Castiel laughed lightly. "I'll be sure to put my best foot forward for you, that you wouldn't be able to say no." he smiled, looking over at him. "I can be romantic too."

Dean glanced over at him and laughed. "I'm sure you are. You're probably a lot more romantic than I am." He admitted, though he didn't mind in the slightest. "Don't worry- it won't take too much to woo me." He added with a laugh.

"Even so. I will still try my best." Castiel smiled. They arrived at home not long after. Castiel glanced over at Dean, he laughed lightly. "I don't think it's customary to take your date home on the first date." He teased. "But I couldn't resist following those green eyes home."

Dean grinned. "Well, I am pretty charming. I don't blame you for coming home with me." He replied with a chuckle, leaning over to kiss Cas's knuckle before relinquishing his grip on his hand and moving around to open the door for him again.

Castiel smiled at the gesture before taking his bag and the pie before getting out of the car. "Are you planning to save your pie or are you going to eat it?" He asked. They were walking back to the house when he asked.

Dean glanced over at him and down at the pie. "Hmm. I don't know if I can wait. I don't think I'd be able to think about anything else while I know there's pie in the house." He joked. "Then again, you are pretty distracting." He added, smiling.

Castiel hummed softly, taking him by the hand as they walked inside. "Are you trying to ask me to distract you? I can do that." He smiled. He set the pie down on the counter, turning to face Dean. "Mmm, you can choose between your pie and me." He gestured to the pie beside him and himself.

"You're going to make me choose between my two greatest loves?" Dean replied, arching a brow and smiling slightly. He looked at the pie, then Cas, then back again as he pretended to mull it over. "Hmm, this is a tough call." He murmured and sighed. "Fine, I choose you, Cas. Only cause I'm afraid choosing pie would hurt my chances of getting that second date." He added jokingly.

Castiel laughed lightly, "It would have. I would tell you no for the second date." he lightly tugged on Dean's tie, leaning up to kiss him. "I like this tie." he murmured. "It's easy to pull you in." he smiled before giving him another kiss. "What are you going to do about your second love then?" he asked, glancing up at him.

Dean smiled at Cas's comment about the tie, definitely agreeing. He glanced over at the pie and sighed with exaggerated sadness. "I guess I'll put my other love in the fridge for later or something." He replied.

Castiel laughed a bit, kissing Dean on the cheek and letting go of his tie. He slid away and easily put the pie away and walked back to Dean. He glanced up at him with a smile, he started playing with his tie with his fingers. He gently pulled it as he started walking backwards a little. "C'mon loverboy." he chuckled. He hummed softly, "Are you going to carry me up these stairs or do I get to pull you along?" he asked, enjoying this teasing. He glanced up at Dean with a smile, it was like playing a game.

Dean grinned as Cas pulled him along. "I guess you get to lead me on." He replied playfully, following Cas and leaning forward slightly as Cas held his tie. He normally wasn't a fan of ties, but he was definitely enjoying his being used like this.

Castiel smiled, easily pulling him along with his pace and walking them upstairs, teasing Dean a few times while walking up. He would lean in and seem like he was going to kiss him but he just smiled and just walked quicker. He opened Dean's door and led him in, He smiled, sitting down on the bed. He finally pulled Dean in for a kiss. "I love you." he laughed lightly. "I get to tease you, so thank you for going along with it." he said.

Dean grinned as he followed Cas up, each teasing almost-kiss making him want a real one even more. He smiled when Cas finally did kiss him. "I love you too. I'll always go along with it, even if you are such a tease." He replied with a chuckle, sitting down on the bed right next to him.

"Really? What if I didn't give you a kiss and I went to sleep?" Castiel looked over at him. He moved a little to sit on Dean's lap, "I think we've been apart for enough time, don't you?" He asked.

Dean smiled and wrapped his arms around Cas's waist. "I think we've been apart for way too long, actually." He corrected with a grin. "The only problem with our first date." He added, leaning up to kiss Cas again.

"If this is already a problem then how will we have more dates?" Castiel murmured against his lips. He smiled softly, kissing him again before shifting in Dean's lap to have his back against his chest and he was seated between his legs. He put his hands over Dean's and laced his fingers through them. He leaned flatly against him, humming softly. "I think I gave you too many kisses on the first date." He said.

"It might be a problem, but I think it was worth it. I really had a great time today with everything, not just the date." He said, resting his chin on Cas's shoulder. "As for the kisses, I don't think you gave me enough." He added with a smile, tilting his head slightly to kiss his cheek.

Castiel smiled at the kiss against his cheek. "I had a really great time as well, it was perfect." He chuckled. He leaned back against Dean, turning his head slightly and kissing Dean's head. "I never sat this way in your lap before, it's nice." He said. "It's comforting."

Dean smiled as Cas kissed his head. "So what you're saying is that I make a good chair?" He replied with a chuckle. "Another of my many skills." He joked. He sincerely did enjoy Cas's closeness though, and it was comfortable to lean up against him.

"Yes. That's exactly what I meant." Castiel laughed. "I feel safe with you at my back with your arms around me. It's really nice." He said. "And I get to tease you without you doing much to me." He added, pushing his butt back slightly against Dean and moving his hips a little.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Dean protested with a laugh, squeezing Cas slightly. "I was a gentleman all night and this is the thanks I get?" He asked jokingly. "Pie would never tease me like this. Maybe I should ask that slice out for the second date instead of you." He added with a grin.

"But what fun will your date would be if the pie gave you everything right away?" Castiel asked. "What thanks would you like me to give you?" He asked, laughing still as he pushed his hips back more.

"I think it would be very fun if the pie have me everything right away." Dean replied, smiling and shifting beneath him slightly as Cas pushed his hips against him. "I don't know what thanks I want, but this isn't it." He added with a laugh.

"Would it be fun?" Castiel asked. He settled back against Dean, "I'll stop teasing you then. I don't want you to go and leave me for a slice of pie." He said. "You won't even tell me what kind of thanks you would like."

Dean chuckled, leaning his chin against him once Cas had stopped. "That's good, cause I don't want to have to leave you for a slice of pie." He replied. "I can think of some ways for you to thank me if that would make you feel better. Starting with another kiss."

Castiel hummed, glancing over at Dean. He turned his face again and gave him a soft kiss, "Just one?" he asked, stopping himself from kissing Dean again. He glanced up at him, smiling a little.

"To start with. I'm sure this was worth more than one, though. I mean, I drove you, told you how amazing you looked, held your hand, opened doors. The list goes on and on, so there'll probably be a lot more kisses by the time it's done." Dean replied, managing to keep a serious face until the end when he broke into a grin.

Castiel rolled his eyes playfully, turning back around in Dean's lap and tugging on his tie and giving him a kiss. "You're so needy." he laughed. He settled the other hand in Dean's hair, lightly playing with it as they kissed. "I didn't know gentlemen made their dates pay them back." he murmured, giving his lips a soft lick.

"Other gentleman don't because their dates aren't as amazing as mine." Dean murmured in response. "Otherwise they definitely would." He added with a smile, keeping one arm around Cas's waist and the other hand resting on his shoulder.

"What if I didn't want to pay you those kisses?" Castiel asked, kissing him again and smiling a little. He hummed softly, sliding his hand into Dean's jacket and settling it on his side before he smiled at Dean sweetly and started wiggling his fingers against him. He scribbled his fingers across Dean's torso, "I'll pay you back after I get to play with you a little more." he smiled.

Dean returned his smile, at first thinking Cas was going to kiss him again and not thinking much on him sliding his hand into his jacket. He tensed as Cas started wiggling his fingers, his eyes widening as he burst out laughing. "That's-that's not fair!" He protested, squirming beneath him.

"Why isn't it fair Dean?" Castiel grinned. "I said I would pay you back in full and them some if I feel like it, just wanted to play with you first." he chuckled at Dean laughing so happily. He ran his fingers everywhere, pulling Dean's dress shirt up a little to tickle his skin directly.

"I did- I didn't- I wasn't READY!" Dean replied through bursts of laughter, laying back fully on the bed and trying in vain to wriggle away from Cas's tickling. He moved his hands, trying to block Cas but laughing too much to be able to do so properly.

Castiel laughed happily at Dean, "That's the point." he said simply. He paused for a moment to let Dean catch his breath a little before he started all over again. "You're so cute." he smiled before stopping and resting his hands flatly against Dean's tummy.

"I'm not cute." Dean huffed as he caught his breath, though he was still smiling. "So are you done toying with me?" He asked suspiciously, glancing down at where Cas's hands were resting.

"You're right, you're not cute." Castiel looked down at him. "You're adorable." he grinned. He looked down at his hands then back at Dean. "Hmm, am I?" he chuckled. He kept his hands in Dean's shirt but leaned down to kiss him softly. "Maybe for now." he smiled.

Dean rolled his eyes but smiled as Cas called him adorable. He watched him as Cas debated on whether or not he was done, relaxing when he said he was. Dean smiled against the kiss, letting out a breath. "Good to know. I'll have to remember to be ready later then." He added with a chuckle.

"Yes you will, but when's later?" Castiel asked, he slid his arms into Dean's shirt and just rested his arms off the side of his body and kissed him. It was a long kiss, slowly and passionate. He didn't break this kiss to talk, just kissed Dean until he was breathless, breaking the kiss just for a moment before he indulged into another kiss just like it. He pulled back just slightly with flushed cheeks and slightly messy hair, "That okay?" He breathed out.

Dean paused, catching his breath slightly. He hadn't been expecting a kiss like that, but it was definitely welcomed. "Yeah, that was a little more than okay." He replied breathily, smiling slightly. He wrapped his arms back around Cas, definitely having enjoyed the kisses.

Castiel moved his hands out from Dean's shirt and just lied against him. He rested his head on his shoulder and just slowly breathed in. He had never felt happier. He was done teasing Dean so his air of playfulness and mischievousness has disappeared. He was back to his normal attitude, the one that was more gentle and cuddly. He snuggled himself into Dean with a soft smile and a content sigh.

"I feel so lucky and happy to have you Dean. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me." He said softly. "I wouldn't change anything about my past if it meant that I wouldn't meet you in the future." He closed his eyes a little, just listening to their breathing and heartbeats. "I would tell you I love you constantly but I don't want it to lose it's essence and value. I would like to say it every so often but I just get caught by how much I really do feel for you and it just spills out." He continued after a few moments. He kissed the side of Dean's neck gently and just lied there quietly, taking in Dean's warmth and his smell. Home was where he felt best and that was with Dean.

Dean smiled, resting his arms across Cas's back and holding him gently. "I know what you mean. I want to tell you that I love you with everything I say, but I don't want to wear it out." He replied, feeling soothed and relaxed with the weight of Cas against him and the steady rhythm of their breathing. It was incredible to him that Cas could care so much for him. "I've never felt this strongly about anyone or even anything before." He continued slightly more softly. "I mean, I love Sam and Bobby, I love the impala, I love pie. But what I feel about you... It's so much stronger. It almost seems like there should be another word for it because 'love' doesn't even cover half of the feeling."

Castiel smiled softly, "I suppose we both feel the same about that then. I also feel like that word doesn't give justice to what I have to say but it still means something." He replied. He was just brimmed with feelings that it was strange but not worrisome to him. He just relaxed against Dean completely at ease and safe.

Dean smiled, reaching up to card his hand gently through Cas's hair. He wasn't sure what he'd done to deserve someone as amazing as Cas, but he was glad for whatever it was. "Yeah, and we know that it means more when one of us says it to the other." He added.

"I like that." Castiel let out a soft breath. He had his eyes closed, just listening to their breathing again. He was getting tired. "Dean, we should change and cuddle." He offered. He didn't exactly want to move but he didn't want to fall asleep on Dean's nice clothes.

Dean groaned softly, not wanting to get up but knowing they needed to. "Yeah, okay. Don't want to mess up our clothes and stuff." He said, resigning to the fact that he would have to move. "You're on top of me though." He said with a slight chuckle, wishing their clothes could just magically change themselves while they laid like they were.

Castiel sighed, slowly getting off of Dean. He immediately missed the warmth and comfort and wanted to quickly just get back to it. He slowly walked over to where his things were and got undressed. He folded his dress clothes and put them away neatly. He slipped on a t-shirt and he was done. He ruffled his hair a little and walked back to the bed. He crawled underneath the blankets and waited for Dean.

Dean sighed softly as Cas moved off of him, pausing for a moment before getting up as well. He changed out of his suit and hung up the jacket, folding the rest before pulling on a tshirt. He glanced over at Cas crawling under the blankets and smiled, following him onto the bed and pulling the blankets up.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, "Care to join me?" He laughed a little. He moved around the blankets and laid down correctly, he opened his arms and waited for Dean to slot himself into his arms.

"Definitely. Looks pretty comfortable." Dean smiled and moved into Cas's arms, wrapping his own around him as well. "Mm, it is." He added with a grin, settling in against him.

Castiel smiled, hugging Dean closely and squeezing him a little. "You are very comfortable..." He mumbled. He closed his eyes and nuzzled himself into him. "Goodnight Dean..." He said softly.

"Mm, you too." Dean murmured drowsily. "G'night, Cas." He added with a yawn, settling against him and quickly falling asleep.

They had one more day after today before break was over. Neither of them thought of it and they were going to spend the last day with their friends. At least they were together again and happy.


	14. You're The Best!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two finally have a chance to spend time with their friends, a day before break ends. Hopefully nothing goes wrong.

The morning came like any other, Castiel woke up first. He let out a soft breath before lightly stroking through Dean's hair before he woke up. He stayed quiet with a small smile as he enjoyed the morning.

Dean woke up slowly, smiling at the feeling of Cas stroking his hair. He felt relaxed and happy, like he had for the past few mornings and hopefully would continue to. "Morning," he greeted, opening his eyes to glance up at him.

"Good morning Dean." Castiel replied, smiling at him. "We get to see everyone today." He said, still carding his fingers through Dean's hair. "It'll be nice before school starts again." He added.

Dean smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it'll be nice to hang out." He replied, hoping it would go over better than the last time they'd hung out- but he definitely wasn't going to bring that up. "It'd be even nicer if we didn't have school." He added with a chuckle.

"Can't have everything we want but it's better than nothing." Castiel smiled. He kissed Dean's forehead, "We should go get ready before they come." He said. "It's better now to get ready than having them come in like last time."

Dean laughed, remembering the last time. "At least we weren't doing anything." He replied with a grin as he slowly disentangled himself from Cas and stretched his arms and shoulders. He stood up and yawned as he walked over and grabbed his clothes, heading for the bathroom.

Castiel watched Dean go before slowly getting off the bed and stretching himself out. He let out a content breath at how he felt. He picked out clothes and changed into them lazily and unhurried. He hummed softly as he got changed.

Dean got ready within a few moments, stepping back out of the bathroom feeling more awake and refreshed. "Your turn." He said with a smile, plopping down on the bed again to wait for Cas.

Castiel nodded, taking the bathroom after Dean and came back out after a few moments. His hair was tamed out and he smiled at Dean, offering his hand. "Let's see what we can do before they come." He said as he opened the door and laughed a little once he heard voices. "Nevermind, let's go see what they're doing." He glanced back at Dean.

Dean laughed when they heard them. "Probably making themselves at home." He replied. "Hopefully with Sam watching they don't get up to anything." He added with a chuckle, following Cas as they headed towards the voices.

"I don't get why we're here so early." Kevin complained.

"Oh hush up, today is the last day of break so you might as well have fun before you get crammed up with homework." Charlie replied. Castiel and Dean walked downstairs together and looked at them.

Charlie grinned, "Good morning sunshines. So nice of you to come join us instead of us getting you." She said.

Kevin rolled his eyes, "Because some of us are rude." He mumbled.

"I heard that." Charlie pushed him.

Sam glanced over at the two, "We didn't wake you guys did we?" He asked.

"Nah, we were already up. I'm glad we were since you guys don't seem to knock." Dean replied with a chuckle. "So what's the plan for today?" He asked, already just glad they were all hanging out.

"We're not sure." Kevin told him.

Charlie tapped her chin, "Oh. How about rollerblading? There's a rink a little out of town. Maybe we should just go around and find things to do." She offered.

"I know there's an arcade that opened up not far from here too. We can just go around doing things today." Sam added.

Castiel smiled, "That sounds like fun." He said.

"Where should we go to eat?" Kevin asked.

"Dunno, we'll know when we get there." Charlie grinned. "Let's go now so we have all of today to party ourselves out!" She said excitedly.

Dean laughed at Charlie's enthusiasm, catching some of her excitement. It did sound like fun, and he was eager to get going. "Alright, let's go. We can all fit in one car, right? I can drive." He offered.

"Alright sounds fine to me!" Charlie grinned, grabbing her shoulder bag. Kevin just went along with her and Sam followed them out.

Castiel looked over at Dean with a bright smile, "Today is going to be fun." He said happily.

"Yeah, it's gonna be awesome." Dean replied with a grin, lacing his fingers through Cas's as they followed the others out. "So if I'm driving, you guys have to be good to the impala or I'll making you walk home. No feet on the seats or any of that stuff." He threatened jokingly.

Charlie glanced at the impala. "That's your car?" She asked. "You are like a chick magnet in boots but you choose a guy. I love it." She laughed.

Kevin let out a low whistle, "This looks more like your car than the one you drove before. Nice ride." He commented.

Castiel squeezed Dean's hand. "That was my car." He told Kevin.

"I know, we were still rescuing you at that time." Kevin smiled.

Charlie grinned, opening the car door. "Can I ride shotgun?" She asked.

Sam laughed, "I don't think you would want to compete with Castiel for that seat." He told her.

Charlie glanced at Castiel, "Yeah you're right...the quiet ones always scare me." She said.

Castiel laughed, "Good, fear me." He said jokingly.

They all like climbed into the car with Sam in the middle. "Okay, why do I have to be in the middle? I'm the tallest." He complained.

"Suck it up buttercup. You snooze you lose." Charlie snickered.

Kevin glanced at Dean, "Do you know where you're going or do you want us to direct you?" He asked.

Dean smiled at their reaction to his car, feeling a rush of pride. He glanced in the rearview mirror once they were all in, laughing at Sam being squished in the middle. "No, I don't really know where we're going. You'll have to direct me." He replied before starting up the engine, grinning in satisfaction as it growled into life.

Castiel smiled, knowing that Dean liked it when people complimented his car. It was his baby and he worked hard on her. Kevin nodded at Dean, "Well it's kind of out of the city, so once you pull out go straight until the stoplight and then go right." He instructed first.

Charlie looked around the car, "It's really clean and well kept. My car is a cluster." She laughed.

"I know." Kevin mumbled.

Charlie rolled her eyes, "Do you have music in the car?" She asked.

Dean followed their directions, having a vague idea of where they were headed. "Yeah well, I put enough work into this car, I'm going to keep her clean." He replied with a chuckle. "Of course I have music. The best kind of driving music." He said with a grin, turning on the stereo to one of his favorite stations.

Charlie arched a brow, "Ew." She laughed. "Kidding. Not really." She said.

"Hey, driver chooses the music and everyone else shuts their trap." Dean said to Charlie, grinning. It was weird having them all in the car, but nice as well.

Kevin watched the road to make sure Dean wasn't going the wrong way. "Then go straight for a while, I'll tell you when." He said. Castiel hummed softly to the music, glancing out the window.

Sam looked at Dean, "So where'd you guys go yesterday? You were gone all afternoon." He said.

"We walked around and stuff for a while and went on a date." Dean replied, glancing up at Sam in the rearview mirror.

"Oooooo a date." Charlie popped into the conversation. "Where'd you guys go?" She asked.

Sam laughed a bit, "That's nice of you guys to go out." He said. Kevin was just watching outside the window like Castiel.

Kevin looked up then back to Dean. "Take a left here, continue past the train tracks and go straight again." He said. Castiel glanced at Dean, laughing a little before going back to humming and looking out the window.

Dean rolled his eyes at Charlie as he followed Kevin's directions, turning where he'd said. "We went to a diner. And it was pretty nice." He added with a smile, glancing over at Cas. "It was technically our first date." He added with a chuckle.

"What?!" Charlie exclaimed. "First date? You mean all this time and everything and now you finally go on a date? Sheesh, talk about a bad timeline." She commented.

Sam arched a brow, "Long time to ask a person for a date. Why, didn't have the courage?" He teased. Castiel smiled softly, tracing a bee in the window. He drew a small heart next to it and glanced at Dean. He laughed lightly, deciding to leave it on his window.

Dean rolled his eyes again. "It just sort of didn't happen until now." He replied lamely. "I don't know, but it was nice and now we've had one, so that's what matters." He added with a chuckle. He caught Cas drawing the bee out of the corner of his eye and smiled softly. It took a while, but it had been worth it.

"Well... it's better than nothing." Charlie shrugged.

She sat back in her seat and Sam looked at her, "Find someone?" He asked.

"Working progress." She replied.

Kevin spoke up again, "Next right and then a left at the light and it should be on your right, can't miss it." He said.

Dean smiled at their chatting, glad they'd decided to hang out together. He followed Kevin's instructions, pulling up in front of the place. "This is it, right?" He affirmed as he parked the car and glanced back at them.

Charlie grinned, "Yup. The rollerblading rink." She said. She got out of the car first then Sam. Kevin went out the other way. Castiel glanced at Dean and smiled before getting out as well.

"It's a big place huh?" Sam asked.

"Yup, that's what makes it nice." Charlie smiled. "C'mon, maybe we'll make friends here." She laughed. Kevin followed after her and Sam in suit.

Castiel walked by Dean, "I've never been here before." He said. "It looks nice."

"I haven't either." Dean replied as they followed them. "It'll definitely be pretty interesting with all of us." He added with a chuckle, glancing at Cas as they walked in. "I've never been rollerblading, so this might end badly." He warned jokingly.

"Neither have I." Castiel told him.

Kevin shrugged, "It's not that hard, if you can't rollerblade then you get rollerskates. It's stabler than the blading." he told them.

Sam glanced around, "I have tried before and it just takes time to get used to I guess. I was still bad at it but I wasn't falling." he chuckled a little.

Charlie smiled at the girl at the desk, "Hello." she said nicely.

The girl at the desk smiled bashfully at her, "Hello, how may I help you guys today?" she asked.

They chatted for a little bit before she gestured for them to go get their skates. "Any chance you would roll with me around this rink later?" Charlie asked.

The girl giggled, "I get off in 20 minutes." she told her.

Charlie smiled, "Great, see you then." she replied before walking away.

Sam chuckled, watching her. "Wow, that was very smooth of you Charlie." he said.

"Is she still looking?" Charlie asked quickly.

"Yeah." Kevin replied, glancing over. "Okay you're good." he said.

Charlie bounced, "Yeah, I know. That was amazing." she said happily. "Anyway, if you guys get better and want to switch from skates to blades, just exchange them. Just like the size." she told them.

Castiel had put his skates on and was hanging onto things, trying to find his balance "I don't like the unstable feeling." he said wearily. Dean grinned at Charlie's flirting before following the others, strapping on the skates and following Cas unsteadily.

"You'll get used to it." Charlie told him before putting on rollerblades and going inside the rink.

Kevin was next with Sam very close by, Kevin glanced back at him and laughed. "If you fall. I can't catch you." he said.

Sam rolled his eyes, "I just need someone to help me." he grumbled. They made it into the rink and they were slowly skating while Charlie glided around.

Castiel pinched his eyebrows together, slowly walking. "I find this very difficult." he mumbled.

Dean held the edge of the rink and stood up straight, slowly gaining his balance and feeling more comfortable. He glanced up at Charlie skating easily around and arched a brow. "She makes it look so easy." He said with a slight laugh, returning his focus to getting the hang of the skates.

"Maybe because she's done it longer." Castiel slowly moved his feet and just held onto the sides instead.

Kevin skated by Sam, laughing a little at how awkward it was for someone big like him to be doing this. Sam eventually was able to skate but just slowly following Kevin as Charlie grinned, passing each of them. She stopped by Castiel, holding his arms and helping him onto the rink. Castiel made a weary sound, looking at his feet.

"Just drag each of you get one after the other and lean forward just slightly. Your arms can be for balancing, like running." She instructed. Castiel tried to do what she said, only getting better at balance as she slowly rolled him around in circles. "Straight back, slight bend. Like your running but dragging your feet." She said. She glanced at Dean, "Are you getting this?" She asked.

"Straight back, slight bend." Dean repeated, concentrating on doing what Charlie said. He started to get the hang of it as he followed Cas and her, beginning to gain his balance. "Okay, so this isn't so bad." He said, glancing up at Cas to see how he was doing.

Castiel had a concentrated face, trying to get what Charlie said. He understood but it was still hard for him to get it. Charlie touched his back, pushing back his shoulders and holding his biceps this time. "Keep eye contact with me, drag your feet after one another." She instructed. Castiel glanced up at her and tried. He was taking baby steps and he pinched his eyebrows together. He got it a little but not really.

Charlie just wheeled him around. "It's okay if you don't understand, just follow Dean. Or just hold onto him." She said. "You getting this Dean?" She asked.

Dean dragged his feet like Charlie said and shifted his balance slightly, glancing up at Charlie. "Yeah, I'm getting the hang of it." He replied, moving towards them and smiling slightly at the look of concentration on Cas's face.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, "Dean, I don't understand. How are you doing it?" He complained.

Charlie laughed a little and wheeled him slowly to Dean. "Here. Just hold onto him." She said.

Castiel held onto Dean's shirt and tried wheeling around. "If I go off by myself I think I can eventually figure it out." He mumbled.

Charlie laughed a little, "Ask Dean to wheel you somewhere. I got someone looking for me." She smiled and waved at the girl and rolled over there.

Castiel glanced up at Dean, "Can you help me to the side?" He asked.

Dean chuckled lightly and nodded. "Yeah, no problem." He replied, holding on to Cas lightly and starting to roll over to the edge carefully. "You'll get the hang of it." He assured. "Meanwhile Charlie is ditching us for her." He added with a laugh, glancing over at them and reaching the edge of the rink.

"That's okay. I don't want to take her time if she has something better to do." Castiel glanced at his feet and held onto the side. He looked at Dean, "You think you can leave me for about 5-10 minutes. I do better without anyone watching." He said. "But don't go too far." He added quickly. "I don't want to be alone." He told him.

"No problem. I'll just go skate over there a little." Dean replied, gesturing over to a part of the rink that seemed a good distance to be. "Try not to fall." He added with a grin before skating over to where he'd indicated, letting Cas practice on his own.

Castiel watched him go before trying to get it on his own. He got to stand up on his own and he tried a few things before he started to get it on his own. He got it after a bit and he felt pleased at how easy it was now. He glanced over at Dean but while he was concentrated on learning a few girls were trying to talk to Dean.

"Hi, why are you just over here? There's a whole rink." The redhead asked.

"Unless you need help learning. We can help you." The tanned one added. "You should skate a little, it's no fun to stand around."

Dean watched Cas discreetly for a moment, not wanting him to notice that he was looking, before the girls came up to him. He smiled, not actually considering going with them, but admittedly enjoying the attention. "Sorry ladies, I'm actually waiting for someone." He replied, nodding to Cas's general direction.

They glanced over at him and looked back at Dean. "He'll be okay for a few moments." The tanned one said. "I think he is kind of getting how to skate." She said.

"Why aren't you teaching him then?" The redhead asked Dean.

Castiel huffed, he felt a stab of jealousy that someone was trying to flirt with Dean, like always when anyone approached him. He plopped down on the ground, looking over at Dean. "Dean! I need your help!" He complained. It was the quickest way to get Dean to come back to him and get those females away from him. He didn't know how to confront them so he settled for being troubled.

Dean glanced over a Cas when he called. "Looks like I'm needed. See you around." He said to them though he didn't intend to, pushing off the wall and skating over to Cas. "You okay?" He asked, crouching down beside him.

Castiel nodded, having Dean help him up. The girls arched a brow and looked at them. Castiel smiled sweetly at them and they huffed and rolled away.

Castiel looked back at Dean, "I didn't actually need your help, I just needed an excuse." He told him. He smiled at Dean before turning and catching his pinky and easily skating now.

Dean rolled his eyes and smiled. "And I thought I was the jealous one." He replied with a chuckle. "But you're definitely doing a lot better. Looks like you got the hang of it." He added.

Castiel blushed a little, "I just didn't want them hanging onto you." He mumbled. "I do have the hang of it, I just needed to let go of the training and just try." He said. He gently rolled around with Dean, holding his pinky. "It's less scary now that I know how." He told him.

"It's okay, I know how you feel." Dean replied as they skated. There was nothing for Cas to be jealous about, but it was sort of nice that he worried.

Kevin rolled by them with Sam lagging behind him. He rolled easily, "Figure out how to skate?" He asked.

"Yes." Castiel smiled.

Kevin looked back at Sam, "Seems like being tall makes you less graceful." He laughed lightly.

Dean glanced over as Kevin and Sam came over and grinned. "Nah, that's just Sam. He's a klutz." he joked with a laugh.

"Hey!" Sam protested. "I am not." He said. Kevin laughed, rolling around. They started playing music in the rink and changed the lights to something more fun.

Castiel looked over at Dean, catching more of his hand and pulling him more into the rink, "Let's go skate." He smiled. Kevin and Sam looked at them before rolling more into the rink.

Dean squeezed his hand and smiled. "Alright, let's skate." He replied with a grin, pulling Cas along a little bit faster as they moved into the rink.

They were playing fun songs that were popular on the radio and people were just skating around with their friends and laughing. There was people singing and just random dancing. Kevin was rolling around in circles around Sam while Sam just continued trying to skate. Castiel held Dean's hand and just skated around with him, more than happy that he figured it out. Charlie was rolling around with the girl she talked to and just chatting. The music went silent for a moment before a ridiculous song came on. Everyone knew it, except maybe Castiel, and they just laughed a bit and murmured.

Kevin rolled up to them with Sam, "Are you guys going to dance to it?" He asked.

"What dance?" Castiel asked.

"The chicken dance." Sam supplied.

"The chicken dance?" Castiel said confused.

"Yeah, just watch everyone." Kevin laughed. The chorus came in and everyone was just doing this ridiculous dance.

"Oh jeez. Are we really doing this?" Dean asked with a laugh, seeing them start and knowing the answer. He glanced over at Cas and grinned at his confused expression, about to explain before he realized he didn't actually know how everyone knew the dance- they just did. "You've never heard of this at all?" He asked, amazed.

Castiel shook his head, "Am I supposed to? Everyone else seems to know. I think I missed the lesson if there was one." He replied.

Kevin laughed, "It's okay if you don't, it's not that big of a deal. It's just funny." He told him.

Sam shrugged, "Yeah, it's just for laughs. We all look ridiculous anyways." He added.

Castiel knew they did but he felt odd again, he didn't know something everyone else did. He smiled a little, "Yes I guess you're right. It is /just/ a dance." He replied.

"Yeah, it's not a big deal. It's a stupid dance anyway, like you saw." Dean added with a chuckle, remembering that Cas didn't like not knowing stuff like this and trying to make him feel better about it. Castiel gently squeezed Dean's hand.

Kevin glanced at Charlie, "After she's done, maybe we should go see that arcade Sam was talking about." He said.

Sam nodded, "Yeah, I heard it was pretty cool." He said. "It's supposed to have a lot of things but I wouldn't know. Just heard." He shrugged.

Castiel nodded, "That's fine. We can wait." He said. He pulled Dean around a little, just rolling around casually to the different music. "This was nice. Struggling but nice." He chuckled.

"Alright, that sounds good to me." Dean replied, thinking that it would probably be a little more his style anyway. He smiled and nodded at Cas as they went along for a little longer. "Yeah, it was. It took a little while to get the hang of, but it was fun."

"What do you do at arcades? I know that they have games, but what do, you, in particular do? Do you play them?" Castiel asked. "I never been to an arcade either." He said. "What's it like?"

Dean wasn't especially surprised that Cas had never been in an arcade. "Well, they can be pretty bright and loud, but they're really fun. They have pretty much any kind of game you can think of, so I'm sure you'll find something to play." He replied. "Oh, and some of them give out tickets for playing the games and you can get prizes. Except they're usually overpriced." He added with a chuckle.

"Sounds interesting." Castiel replied. "Have you ever won anything?" He asked. "So the tickets are in a way like currency. I see, devious way to get money in an arcade." He commented. "Well, we'll just have to play a lot of games won't we?" He smiled.

"I don't know, I've won some small stuff I think. Yeah, we'll have to play a bunch and get something really awesome." Dean replied.

A few people glanced at them but no one said anything, so it was nice. Charlie eventually said goodbye to the girl and she rolled back to them.

"Get a number?" Sam arched a brow.

"No, not my type. It was fun though." Charlie replied.

"What's your type?" Kevin asked.

"That's a secret." She laughed. "You guys ready to go?" She she'd. They all nodded, "Alright! To the arcade!" Charlie said excitedly. She rolled off first with everyone slowly behind her. They all changed shoes and returned their skates all getting back into the car.

"Still need directions?" Kevin asked.

"I think I know, but some directions would be good just in case." Dean said to Kevin once they were back in the car.

"Once you pull out, go back the way you came, so left then right and just continue for a bit." Kevin told him.

"Are the prizes worth getting? Are they only available there?" Castiel asked, continuing Dean and his conversation.

Sam looked at him, "No they aren't exclusive. You can actually buy them somewhere else but I guess it's like a sense of accomplishment if you earn enough tickets to win something." He told him. Castiel nodded in understanding.

Charlie glanced out the window, "We should go get ice cream after." She said.

Kevin looked at her, "It's cold out." He replied.

"Any weather is ice cream weather." Charlie grinned. "Besides we don't even know what we're going to eat or where." She said.

"I can cook something." Castiel supplied. "What would you like to eat?" He asked.

"Ooo, I want seafood. Is that too much?" Charlie asked.

Castiel hummed softly, "Longer to prepare, but it's doable. Do you mean like shrimp, crab, and fish?" He asked. "There's squid, oysters, clams." He listed.

"Let's just stick with like shrimp and fish, in budget." Charlie laughed a little.

"Does anyone want anything else? You don't have to eat seafood if you do not wish to." Castiel told them.

"No I'm okay with that." Kevin replied.

Sam shrugged, "I'm okay." He said.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "Dean?"

"You know I'll eat anything, especially if you're the one cooking." Dean replied with a laugh as he followed Kevin's instructions. He was pretty certain that anything Cas made would taste amazing, so he wasn't picky. "Shrimp and fish sound good to me." He added.

Castiel smiled, "Okay, do you mind if we go to the grocery store after we get ice cream then?" He asked.

The group nodded their heads, "It's all good." Charlie smiled.

"Then it's settled." Castiel said happily. He hummed to himself, now thinking of what he would want to cook.

Kevin glanced at the road, "Uh take the left up there and then another left and it should be there." He directed.

Charlie looked excited, "I'm totally going to kickass in this arcade." She said. "Not to brag or anything." She flipped her hair a little.

Sam laughed, "Yeah okay. We'll see." He told her.

"Oh you will." Charlie grinned.

"Well this should be interesting." Dean replied with a laugh, glancing at them in the mirror and following where Kevin directed and pulling up to the place. "Time to see who's the arcade champ." He added with a grin as they got out. He knew the prizes were overpriced and cheap quality, but he definitely wanted to win something cool- if only to show off for Cas a little.

Castiel hummed softly, walking over to Dean and walking next to him as everyone else walked ahead.

Charlie grinned as they went inside, "Variety. I like this place." She said. "Hmm now, how to exchange money into tokens..." she glanced around until she found it. "Oh, there." She said happily, walking over and exchanging. "So contest on who has the most tickets at the end? I also think we should all have a duel before we leave. A shooting game." She grinned at everyone who followed her. "Sound good?" She asked.

Kevin rolled his eyes, "Well I lost." He mumbled.

"Try first, complain later." Charlie laughed.

Dean chuckled at Kevin's reaction as he converted over some tokens. "Shooting duel, huh? Sounds good to me. And who knows, maybe it'll turn out to be your hidden talent." He added with a grin, his competitiveness making him more and more excited.

Castiel glanced around, hearing all the different machines and everything. He could hear the chatter and people talking. He looked back at Dean and them. "I think you just brought out his more competitive side." he commented.

Charlie grinned, "Perfect. That's exactly what he should be." she said. "I'm going to go venture around and try everything. We'll try to find each other after, if we run out of tokens." she laughed. "Call us when you guys are done." she added, she took Kevin with her and Sam laughed before following them.

Castiel stood by Dean, glancing at him. He looked back at the exchange and put some money in it to get some tokens as well and pocketed them. He looked up at Dean, "Let's go play games." he smiled.

"Okay, since you've never been to an arcade, we definitely have to try out everything. Especially the games that give out a lot of tickets." Dean added with a grin as they started walking into the array of flashing lights and noises. "Ooh, here's a good start. Skee ball! Or something." He said with a chuckle, going over to the machine. "You just roll the balls under hand up this little ramp thing and try to get it into the hole with the most points." He explained, putting in some tokens to demonstrate. He was fairly good, managing to get a couple of the balls in higher holes and smiling in satisfaction.

Castiel watched him and putting in a few token to try this game. He saw the balls roll down and he picked one up and glanced at the scoring. He looked down at the ramp a bit before he mumbled a few things, glancing it up and down. He rolled them up and they scored in the top ones. He was able to replicate it except the last ball, it hit the rim. And rolled into another scoring. He made a disappointed sound.

He glanced over at Dean who was watching. "...Score the most points, correct?" he said to make sure. "That's what I did right?"

Dean watched, thinking the first shot must have been lucky until Cas continued to hit the highest ones. "Wha- how'd you do that?" He asked, dumbfounded. "This is your first time playing and you got almost a perfect score." He said, turning to Cas and hardly able to believe what had just happened. So much for showing off for him, at least at this game.

"Math." Castiel replied. "I did math." he said. "So that was okay?" he asked. He saw the tickets and ripped them off and handed them to Dean. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do with these."

Dean stared at him for a moment in wonder before breaking into a wide grin. "Yeah, that was more than okay." He replied with a laugh, taking his tickets. "I'll hold them for you until we get to the end." He offered, glancing at Cas and shaking his head slightly. "Math, huh? Well that was pretty awesome."

Castiel looked really happy that Dean was praising him, "Thank you Dean." he said. They wandered to the next game before he stopped Dean mid way while he was walking. He saw a game that had stuffed animals and there were these little sandy cat that caught his eye. It immediately reminded him of Dean. "Dean, can we play this one?" he asked, looking back at Dean then back to the crane game.

Dean glanced over at the crane and shrugged. "Yeah, sure." He replied, glancing over at Cas. "They're usually really hard to get stuff out, though." He warned. "But it's still possible, so let's give it a shot." He added as they walked over to the machine. "Which one do you want?"

"The sandy cat." Castiel replied immediately. He didn't want to tell Dean the reason because he felt a little silly for wanting a stuffed animal just because it reminded him of Dean. "Is is that difficult? Why do they have these then?" he asked, but then he answered his own question. "Oh. It takes tokens to get those. Maybe, we shouldn't waste tokens on these." he said right after. "I don't want you to waste them."

"No, no, I'll give it a shot." Dean replied hastily. "And if I can't do it, maybe you can do some math stuff or something." He added with a chuckle, walking over to the machine and popping his knuckles. "Alright. Here we go." He murmured as he put in the tokens, focusing on trying to get the cat that Cas wanted.

He was determined to win this for Cas, if it was the only impressive thing he did all day. His tongue stuck out slightly as he maneuvered the claw over the cat, holding his breath as he hit the button to make it descend. He winced slightly as the prongs slid uselessly across its fur before catching its paw, a grin starting to form as the claw moved back towards the bin and dropped it inside. "Yes!" He cheered, beaming as he pulled it out and offered it to Cas.

Castiel wanted to laugh a little at how Dean concentrated with his tongue out like that but he was watching him trying to get the sandy cat. He felt really sad once it slipped from its fur but once Dean offered it to him he was absolutely ecstatic. His whole face just lit up and he bounced a bit in his place because he was so happy. He gently took it from Dean before he immediately threw his arms over Dean's shoulders and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thank you, thank you Dean!" he said excitedly. "Thank you for winning me this! You're the best!" he chirped. He pulled back slightly and gave Dean a kiss, he pulled back slightly and held the cat up and pecked it at Dean's lips. "I love my cat. Thank you." he said again, smiling widely at him. He squeezed the cat to his chest and looked up at Dean overjoyed and lovingly.

Dean grinned widely, overjoyed at how happy Cas was. "You're welcome, you definitely appreciate more than anyone else who could've gotten it." He chuckled, sincerely glad that he'd been able to win it for Cas. He wasn't exactly sure why Cas was so excited by that specific cat, but he was too thrilled with Cas's reaction to care about the reasoning behind it.

Castiel held the cat in one arm against his chest while he reached out and took Dean's other hand. He didn't care for much else other than Dean so he just took his hand. "You're just the best." he smiled at him. He let out a soft laugh, squeezing the cat closer and bouncing a little because he was still really happy. It was a small size cat that was really soft. He just held it close, looking up at Dean. "We can go play another game now." he said happily. "This is all I really wanted." he added.

Dean smiled, glad he'd been able to get what Cas had wanted. "I'm glad you like it." He replied, starting to walk with Cas again and looking around for another good game to play. "Any games catch your eye?" He asked, glancing around for another good one.

They managed to play another few games, Dean doing his best to impress Cas, but Castiel was always impressed with whatever Dean did. They kept holding hands, wandering around to find other things to do.

Charlie, Sam, and Kevin were walking by when they caught glimpse of them holding hands. Charlie grinned at them, waving for their attention. Once they walked over there, Charlie was looking at Castiel's cat. "Oh that's cute. Did you get it as a prize?" She asked.

Castiel smiled, "Dean won it for me." He replied.

Charlie glanced up at Dean with a smile slowly forming, she nudged Dean with her elbow. "Oh ho. Dean won it huh? Must've been really exciting." She laughed a little. Castiel didn't really pay attention to that, he was just happy.

Sam glanced around, spotting a game. "Oh. Dean, I bet I can beat you in air hockey." He challenged.

"It was very exciting." Dean replied with a chuckle to Charlie. He perked up when Sam challenged him, grinning. "Oh, you're on. And you're definitely going down." He informed Sam, walking over to an air hockey table and putting in the tokens to turn it on.

Sam picked up the puck that came out and the paddle and looked up at Dean as he set it down. "In your dreams." He retorted.

Kevin and Charlie stood off one side and Castiel on the other with his cat. "How do you play this game?" He asked.

"You use those paddles to hit the puck into the other person's goal basically and you just try to score the most points before the end." Charlie explained.

"Oh. Okay." Castiel nodded. Sam hit the puck first, immediately going into an intense game with Dean. They were bantering as they played so it was interesting to watch.

Dean grinned as they played, hitting the puck into Sam's goal a few times and getting scored on a few times as well, being pretty much tied for most of the game. He hit the puck and managed to score again, throwing his hands up in victory. "Sorry Sammy, can't beat me yet." He said with a grin.

"Dammit." Sam sighed. "Whatever. Good game. I'll beat you one day." He said determinedly.

"Yeah, in your dreams." Dean replied with a chuckle to Sam.

Castiel smiled, walking over to Dean. "Congratulations for winning." He said.

Charlie grinned, "We should have that shooting tournament now." She said excitedly. "Right before we go then we can go see if we can exchange these tickets." She added.

Dean smiled at Cas and perked up again at the mention of the shooting game. "Yeah, let's do that." He responded eagerly.

Charlie smiled and led them to the game she saw earlier that was supposed to be a big attraction. It had a lot of people crowding it and playing this shooting game. Two people would play and the person who won got to stay up there until they were defeated or when they quit. No one seemed to want to play yet, they just stood there and see if anyone was gutsy to play.

Charlie easily crossed everyone and stepped up first. "So who wants to go against me first?" she asked.

Kevin raised his hand, "I want out as fast as possible." he said so he took the spot next to her. They quickly started to game and Kevin was a bit clumsy and got a few shots in but still lost by a crushing score by Charlie.

Charlie looked pleased but smiled at Kevin, "I'll show you how to play another time." she grinned.

Kevin laughed, "If you want." he said and stepped off and Sam took the spot after.

People were crowding to see a girl play the game and the competition. Castiel stood right next to Dean, not wanting to get caught in the group of people. He squeezed his cat and caught some of Dean's fingers with his free hand.

Sam picked up the gun and arched a brow, "I might not be that great." he said first.

Charlie shrugged, "It's okay." she said. They started the game and Sam was a lot better than Charlie anticipated, she had to up her game halfway through and won by a good amount. She cheered, "Yeah!" she said happily.

Sam set down the gun, "Good game." he said.

He stepped off and Charlie looked at Castiel, "Do you want to play?" she asked.

"No, I'm okay. I can just watch." he declined politely.

Charlie twirled the gun, "Okay. Alright Dean, game on!" she grinned.

"Okay, it's on." Dean replied to Charlie with a grin. "Wish me luck." he said to Cas with a wink before he rolled his shoulders and walked up beside her, picking up the gun. It took him a shot or two to get the hang of the aim, but once he did he started hitting every shot with the same ease he hit the cans back at the lot.

Charlie was not going easy on Dean, she expected this much and quickly hit everything with the same casual ease that Dean had. Castiel stared in awe, they were both so good at the game. Charlie couldn't keep up with Dean though no matter how hard she tried as lost.

She sighed heavily, "Dammit. Hate to admit it but you're a fantastic shot Winchester." she looked over at him. "Good game." she grinned.

Castiel immediately went over to Dean, grinning happily. "That was amazing Dean! You're so cool. It was very efficient and precise." he praised.

Charlie stepped off and was immediately crowded by guys, "That was really awesome." "I love you." "Please be my girlfriend." they all like chattered.

Charlie raised her hands up in front of her, "Whoa guys, thanks." she said.

Kevin easily slipped into the group and stepped beside her, "Don't crowd her. Step off." he said calmly.

The guys arched a brow at Kevin, seeing a smaller guy trying to stop them. Charlie glanced at Kevin before hugging him from behind around his neck, "Sorry guys, boyfriend says to step off." she said before letting Kevin walk them out.

The guys let out a disappointed sound but still said she was really awesome. Kevin walked them back to the others and Charlie squeezed Kevin, "You're so cool "Boyfriend"." she laughed.

Kevin rolled his eyes, "Shut up. I just wanted to go." he said.

Sam nodded a little, "Yeah okay." he said.

Dean gave a cheer when he won, laughing as Charlie got swarmed by guys. He stepped over towards Cas and grinned at his praise, glad he'd been able to show off a little after all. "Thanks." He said, smiling. He definitely liked having the compliments from Cas more than a hoard of random people like Charlie. "So we're going to see what our tickets can get?"

"Yeah! Let's go turn these bad boys in and see what we get." Charlie smiled. She was still hanging around Kevin and they walked together with her hanging off of him. Sam followed beside them as they all walked to the prize area.

Charlie immediately locked eyes with a sword and crown. "I want that!" she exclaimed.

"It's not even real." Kevin supplied.

"So? I want to look cool." Charlie replied. She had a bunch of tickets and turned them in but was still short. She sighed, "Dammit." she said.

Kevin rolled his eyes and gave her his. "Go buy whatever." he told her. Sam gave her his too, not wanting anything.

Charlie grinned brightly, "You guys are the best." she gave them both a peck on the cheek. She got her crown and her play sword.

Castiel smiled at that, he looked at Dean. "What do you want?" he asked. He saw more stuffed animals and other assortments of things.

Dean laughed as Charlie got her crown and sword, grinning at how happy she looked to have them. He glanced around at the other prizes, looking for something interesting. "I don't know," he replied to Cas, "Do you see anything that sticks out to you?"

Castiel glanced around the prizes, he didn't really want anything else. He had his cat. He hummed softly, looking at a cat that looked like the one he was holding only it was black. He wondered if he wanted a pair. "I think I would want that cat." He said, not wanting his Dean cat to be alone.

Dean glanced up at the car he indicated and chuckled. It looked like a cat version of Cas, and he wondered if he noticed that. "Okay, I like that one." He replied, walking over and giving up the tickets for it. He brought it back over to Cas, running his thumb across its fur. "Here ya go." He said, offering it to him with a smile.

Castiel grinned happily, taking the cat and resting it next to his Dean cat. He squeezed them against his chest and looked up at Dean. "I love them, thank you Dean." He said happily. "Now my cat won't be lonely." He told him.

Charlie grinned, "That's really cute!" She commented. "It looks like you and Dean." She said. Castiel blushed a little, playing with the cats in his hands. He glanced up at Dean, feeling a bit embarrassed that someone pointed it out. "Aww you got that cat because it looked like Dean didn't you?" Charlie squealed. "Aww!"

Dean laughed and looked at the cat that supposedly looked like him. He didn't see the resemblance, but that would explain why he'd wanted it so badly. "I dunno about that one, but the black one definitely looks like Cas." He replied, smiling.

Castiel glanced up at Dean, "I know. I wanted it for the cat that looks like you. I didn't want it to get lonely." He smiled bashfully.

Charlie touched her heart, "Can I just take you guys home?" She laughed a little.

Kevin chuckled, "Let's go before we starve later from not eating." He said.

Sam nodded, "Yeah we still have to get ice cream." He said.

Charlie perked, "Oh yeah! Let's go!" She said, now ready to leave. Castiel caught some of Dean's fingers as he held the cats.

Dean smiled and laced his fingers through Cas's as they left the arcade. "Okay, ice cream it is. That definitely sounds awesome right now." He added with a chuckle, only letting go of Cas's hand to get in the car.

"I think there's a place right next to the grocery store back near your house." Charlie told Dean as they settled in the car.

"Yeah there is. Do you need directions to get back?" Kevin asked. Castiel smiled, setting the cats in his lap and just holding an arm around them so they wouldn't fall.

"Nah, I can find my way back." Dean responded as he backed the impala out and started driving back the way they'd come. He glanced over at Cas out of the corner of his eye and smiled, glad he'd been able to get Cas the cats.

They arrived not long after the car ride and came to this small ice cream parlor. They all went in and looked at the place. Castiel left the cats in the car, figuring better than to get them dirty.

Kevin walked up first, "So what do you guys want?" He asked.

Charlie perked, "Sherbet in a cup please." She asked.

Sam hummed, "Cookies and cream, either a cone or cup is okay." He said.

Kevin glanced at the ice creams and drinks they offered. "Mmm I think I should get a smoothie. Can I have a small strawberry mango, one cup of sherbet, and a cup of cookies and cream?" He asked the cashier. He glanced over at Dean and Castiel, "What do you guys want?" He asked.

Castiel shook his head, "I don't want anything." He told them.

"Mm, chocolate in a cone." Dean replied after thinking for a moment. "You don't want anything?" He asked Cas curiously after he'd told Kevin.

Kevin ordered for them as Dean asked his question. Castiel shook his head, "I don't want to accidentally have an attack if I choose to indulge in ice cream." He replied. He glanced at the ice cream, feeling a little sick but he kept his mind clear. He felt okay but he didn't want to risk anything.

"Oh, right." Dean replied, feeling slightly guilty that in the midst of all the things they were doing, he hadn't thought about ice cream being a trigger. Cas seemed alright, but he wondered if he should've suggested they do something different. It was too late now anyway, but he made a mental note to keep an eye on him to make sure he stayed okay.

Castiel took a seat at a table near the window as everyone got what they were eating. He just looked out the window, wishing he brought his cats in but he didn't want to go outside. Kevin, Charlie and Sam took the seats in front of him with Dean next to him. Kevin glanced at Castiel, then at everyone else's hands.

He didn't take a drink of what he was drinking yet so he pushed to Castiel, "Want some? It's not like what they're eating." he said.

Castiel glanced over, it wasn't white so he felt it would be okay but he was a little worried he wouldn't be, but he needed to get over this eventually. It couldn't haunt him forever, he needed to get over it. He nodded a little, taking the straw from Kevin and hesitated. He put the straw in, staring at the drink for a bit before he took a small sip. It was sweet and refreshing, it didn't really taste much like ice cream.

He smiled a little and gave it back to Kevin. "It's very good. Thank you." he said softly.

Kevin smiled, "No problem." he responded.

Castiel calmed down a bit, thinking he was doing okay since he was able to drink something but not have an attack. He guessed it was because it wasn't white that he was fine. He glanced out the window again as everyone kind of nibbled at their sweet snack. Charlie wanted to offer him some but she was nervous she might do something wrong.

Dean tensed slightly as Cas took a drink of the smoothie, watching him as nonchalantly as he could manage. He let out a silent breath of relief when everything seemed okay, smiling slightly. It was a good sign, and Dean was glad Cas seemed to be making progress- even if it was small for now.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, he gently reached over and held onto the hem of Dean's shirt as he ate his ice cream. He just turned back to the window and looked out. Charlie and Sam easily finished theirs, not even getting a brain freeze. Kevin just sipped away at his drink, not bothered to drink it quickly.

"So to the grocery store after?" Charlie asked.

Sam nodded, "Yeah, grocery store then we'll have to figure out what to do at home until later." He said.

"We'll find something. Maybe we should have one giant sleep over." Charlie laughed a little.

"We have school tomorrow." Kevin told her.

"So?" Charlie looked at him. "That's fine. We can all get ready together in the morning." She said.

Dean felt the light tug of Cas holding the hem of his shirt and smiled slightly as he finished his ice cream. "So you're just going to invite yourselves over?" He asked with a laugh. "Nah, that sounds good to me. We have room- or we'll make room."

"Duh. That's what friends do. Invade your home, take your food and leave. That has to be like a written rule somewhere." Charlie grinned.

Sam hummed, "We can move the couch out and we can all sleep downstairs on the ground. I think we have enough pillows and blankets to make it comfortable." he said.

Charlie nodded, "Okay cool. I actually still have some of my bed stuff in my car." she said.

Kevin arched a brow, "Why?" he asked.

"I get lazy." Charlie stated. "Or we can go buy some like foam things they sell at the store where you lay on it, then we can have it extra comfy." she supplied.

"That's a lot of work." Kevin looked at her.

"So?" Charlie replied.

"Me, you, and Sam can go get stuff for the bedding while Castiel and Dean cook. It seems fair. We're all working." she said.

"Hmm, I don't remember hearing about that rule." Dean replied with a chuckle."But that plan sounds good to me. So you guys can get the bed stuff and we'll get dinner." Dean replied. "Ready to go then?" He asked since everyone seemed to be finished.

Kevin offered some to Castiel but he declined and Kevin drank it all. Sam and Charlie nodded, sliding out and letting Kevin out. They threw away their cups as they waited for Dean and Castiel to get out. Castiel slid out after Dean, still holding onto his shirt as they walked out. Once they got resettled in the car, he left out a small breath of relief and put the cats back into his lap and idly stroking their fur.

Charlie glanced at him, "Are you going to sleep with those every night?" she asked.

"I don't believe so. They will wear out if I do and I do like to keep my things in fair condition if I plan to keep it." Castiel responded.

"But the wear and tear of something shows how much it's been through and the memories of it. I still have my first stuffed animal and she's not in mint condition but I still love it. I take extra good care of her now that she's more easy to break but I remember all the things I did with her and she looks that way because of it." Charlie told him.

Castiel glanced down at the cats and rubbed his fingers through the soft fur, "I suppose you are right. That is a good way to say that. Maybe I should, but not that often." he said, not wanting to ruin their soft fur and seams.

Dean glanced over at Cas with his cats and chuckled slightly as he drove over to the store. "Well you can do whatever you want with them." He said to Cas. He could see that Cas was going to cherish the cats no matter what he did with them.

Castiel smiled, "I suppose sleeping with them every now and again will be nice." he said. They arrived not long after their conversation and they all got out of the car. Castiel looked better than when he was at the ice cream parlor. He hummed softly, catching Dean's hand. He was walking to the entrance with him until the cashier from before walked out and locked eyes with them. Castiel made a startled sound, immediately shifting a bit behind Dean. The guy sighed softly.

Sam walked by them, "You got released from the hospital. How's your head?" he asked.

"It's better. I just had to tell my boss today about where I have been..." the cashier replied. Charlie and Kevin were so confused but they didn't say anything.

"I'm really really really really REALLY sorry." he bowed his head toward Castiel. "I don't know how to ever make it up to you or can ever say how sorry I am but if you need something, anything, please just say so. I'm really very sorry." he said in a guilt ridden voice.

Castiel glanced over at him, "...It's o-okay...I don't need anything. You...you didn't do anything. You tried to save me. T-Thank you for that...I'm sorry you got hurt." his voice shook a little but it was fine.

"Don't apologize. It's not at all your fault or in your place to say sorry. I deserved it. I'm really sorry." the cashier guy said again. Castiel nodded a little, still staying behind Dean and squeezing his hand tightly.

Deans glanced up when he heard Cas's noise of surprise and instantly his eyes narrowed slightly at the cashier. He knew the guy had tried to help Cas, but he was the one that brought his 'friends' to Cas in the first place. He squeezed Cas's hand reassuringly, tilting himself slightly in front of Cas. He had no idea how triggering this was, he wanted to protect Cas from the memories as much as possible.

The guy looked really upset, "I'll just leave you to what you guy's were doing. I'm sorry." He said again. He excused himself and walked away.

Castiel let out a shaky breath, putting his head on Dean's back. He swallowed, "I...I don't want to go anymore..." He said quietly.

Charlie immediately spoke up, "It's okay. We don't need to. It's okay. We'll just order something. We can go home." She said.

Kevin nodded, "It's not important." He said.

Sam nodded, "Yeah let's just go home." He said.

Dean watched the cashier leave before turning slightly to Cas, squeezing his hand and resting his other hand on his shoulder. "Don't even worry about it, no one minds. Let's just get out of here." He said softly, knowing that this was a lot for Cas. First the ice cream and now the cashier- Dean didn't want to put any more stress on him.

Castiel didn't want to let Dean go, he didn't want him to let go for a moment to drive home or just stopping in general, but he was being ridiculous. Why would he stop Dean from driving, then he remembered that when IT happened he didn't even touch Dean. He looked sad, glancing up at Dean but looking down again. He squeezed Dean's hand even tighter.

Sam looked at them, "Do you want me to drive?" he asked. "I know it's your car, but I can drive for you." he offered.

"You guys can take the backseat, I can sit up front with Sam." Charlie added.

"We should be back pretty quickly." Kevin added.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Dean replied, pulling his keys out of his pocket and tossing them to Sam. Normally he wouldn't be thrilled with anyone else driving, but in this case it didn't matter to him- Cas came first. He kept his grip on Cas's hand as they left the store again, knowing that he'd want the comfort.

They settled in the backseat and Castiel let out a breath. He swallowed not wanting to have an attack. He wanted to close his eyes and take a break but he was nervous that would have the opposite effect. He wasn't even sure what would and won't trigger it and he was treading the water. He leaned a little against Dean, avoiding to touch Kevin. He didn't want to touch more than one person. Kevin made himself a bit tighter, avoiding to touch Castiel. Sam started the ignition and drove carefully but quickly home.

Dean sat as far over as he could to allow Cas to come closer to him and away from Kevin. When they got home, Dean stayed close to Cas as they got out. "Do you want a minute?" He offered quietly, knowing that the others definitely wouldn't mind if they stepped away or something until Cas felt better.

Castiel nodded, not wanting to glance at anyone, he already felt bad that he was treating them like that. Kevin, Charlie, and Sam nodded. "We'll go get food and bedding just in case we stay." Charlie told them softly. They glanced back at Castiel before they got into Charlie's car and left. Castiel let out a breath, he didn't look up at Dean. He just held onto his hand.

"They really don't mind going, you know that, right? They'll do whatever they can to make you feel better. Me too, but you already know that." Dean told him softly, brushing his thumb lightly against Cas's hand. He felt the familiar helplessness settling over him, once again uncertain of what he could do to comfort him other than stay close.

Castiel nodded slightly, he watched Dean's fingers rubbing across his knuckles. He was trying really hard not to think. It was so hard not to think about what happened. Seeing the cashier made him remember running, all their touching, what they said. He felt sick, he tried to take calming breaths, keeping his eyes open. He started freaking out a bit once his mind started mixing what happened and what is happening, he looked up and made sure it was Dean who was holding his hand. He let out a shaky breath wanting to be able to clear his head. He gently took his hand away from Dean, he didn't want to touch anymore. He felt restrained and like someone was touching him. He took a few breaths, just looking around. He wasn't in the same place, he was safe, there's nothing wrong. There's no danger. Dean's here. He told himself. He had to reassure himself, he wasn't alone, no one was going to hurt him. He wanted those cats to hold onto, they were memories of today. Nothing bad happened today. Today is happy.

Dean frowned worriedly as Cas pulled his hands away, knowing that touching was always iffy when he got like this. "Hang on," he said suddenly, thinking that if human contact wasn't working then maybe something else would. He walked over to the car and grabbed the cats, returning quickly to Cas and offering them to him.

"Do you want something to drink or something?" He asked.

Castiel gratefully took the cats and squeezed them closely. He brought them close to himself, nodding a little. "Tea." He said softly. He pressed his face a little into the soft plushies.

Dean smiled slightly as Cas held the cats tightly. "Okay, tea coming up." He replied, walking into the kitchen. He glanced over at Cas while the water was heating up, returning a few moments later with a steaming mug. "Here you go. Do you want like sugar or something in it?" He offered.

Castiel shook his head, taking the mug and sipping on it after blowing some cool air on it. He relaxed slightly, he took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. He calmed down a lot quicker. He has something of today to calm himself and the tea. "Thank you." He said softly. "That helped."

"Yeah, no problem." Dean replied, glad Cas seemed to have relaxed a little. "So you're feeling a little better?" He asked, thinking that if not he might text Sam to take a little longer at the store or something to give him some more time.

Castiel nodded, "I feel better. I would like to sit down with a blanket though." He said. He just wanted to cover all areas that felt cold and just felt something at the empty space of his back. He glanced up at Dean after talking a few more sips. He walked toward Dean again and rested against him. He wanted to feel safe from every angle.

"Okay, let's sit down then." Dean replied, shifting with him to the couch. He reached over and grabbed a spare blanket that was draped across the back of the sofa, laying down across Cas. "Better?" He asked.

Castiel nodded a little, squeezing the cats and sipping on the tea. He laid his head onto Dean, just holding whatever he was holding and just sitting quietly. He felt calmer. He didn't think of being cold, the ice cream, or the gross touching. He lightly played with the soft fur and held the warm mug with the smell of Dean around him. It was calming. He sipped on the tea little by little. He felt soothed but also mentally tired.

He closed his eyes a little, "I'm tired..." He said softly. He wondered idly if the others were coming back soon.

Dean stroked Cas's hair lightly as he leaned against him and drank his tea. "Do you want to take a nap or something?" He offered, pausing in his stroking after realizing it would make him more tired.

Castiel made a small disapproving sound at Dean stopping. He let out a soft breath, "I would want to, but the others will be returning soon and I don't want to be asleep..." He told Dean. He drank most of the tea but if he drank more he would definitely fall asleep.

Dean rested his hand on Cas's shoulder, afraid that if he kept stroking his hair then he would definitely fall asleep. "Well, they'd understand, but it's up to you." He replied. "I know it's hard, but it'll get better." He added in an attempt to be reassuring.

Castiel squeezed the two cats he was holding close to himself. "I know." he responded softly. "I can just sleep later. Will you still play with my hair later?" he asked, glancing up at Dean.

"Of course. I like playing with your hair." Dean replied with a soft smile, meeting Cas's gaze. "We'll go back into our own little world." He added with a chuckle.

Castiel smiled a little, leaning back onto Dean. He sipped on the tea again, no longer feeling that sickening feeling or thinking of those memories. He was just quiet. The sound of car doors closing could be heard faintly, they were back. There was muffled talking, they wonder if they should come back inside. Sam opened the door first and stepped in and glanced around. He didn't see them at first but then he saw a bit of Dean's head.

"Dean? You guys okay? Where's Cas?" he asked. Castiel peeped out from the couch and his place. "Oh. You guys okay again?" Sam asked them.

Dean glanced down at Cas before answering, wanting to be sure he was okay. "Yeah, we're all good." He replied with a nod, looking back over at Sam. "Did you guys get everything?" He asked.

Sam nodded, "Yeah. We got mexican food this time." he said. "We also stopped by to grab pillows and blankets, just in case you guys were okay with them staying." he added.

Castiel squeezed his plushies softly, looking over at the group. "It's okay to stay. I feel better." he said. "I'm sorry I made you go." he added.

Charlie shook her head, "No. It's completely fine. We had to leave to get things anyways so it's a win-win." she smiled a little. "We can just have a giant sleep over and braid Sam's hair." she joked.

Castiel smiled a little, "He would look dashing." he laughed lightly. Charlie brightened up to see that she made Cas laugh.

Kevin walked back out, "I'm going to go get the bedding things then." he said.

Sam set down the food and grabbed some plates. "Well we can just set up everything and move things around before we eat, then we can do whatever." he offered.

Charlie nodded, "Sounds good to me." she said before going out and helping Kevin.

"Ooh, Mexican food. Nice." Dean replied with a chuckle. He watched them bring in the bedding things they'd gotten and stood up so that they could move things around. "So where are we putting everything?" He asked, though he figured it probably didn't matter too much.

"We can just do it here." Sam offered. "It's enough room for all of us to lay down." he said. Castiel stood up with Dean, holding the blanket with him with the mug. He sipped some more of the cooled tea, just listening.

Charlie shrugged, "Sounds good to me. I don't mind sleeping here." she said. "Or maybe we'll just pile into Dean's room." she glanced over at Dean with a joking smirk.

"Well, it's still pretty clean for once, but I think we'll be better off down here." Dean replied with a laugh. "Plus there's less you can snoop through down here." He added jokingly.

Castiel made a sound around his mug, laughing a little. They had a lot to hide up there. His eyes slid over to Dean as his mug hid his smile while he sipped on it.

Charlie arched a brow, "Oh he's definitely hiding stuff." she commented. She placed the bedding things onto the couch. "Okay, let's get things moving and then we can just max out on food." she said. Dean laughed at Charlie's comment, glancing over at Cas with a grin.

Sam nodded, before asking Dean to help him move the couch off the side to get more room. Charlie and Kevin started placing down a softer mat for all of them to lay on before draping a huge plush blanket over it and just a bunch of more pillows and blankets. They layered the bottom with three things and had extra blankets and pillows on top.

Dean helped Sam move the couch and looked happily at the large bed of blankets and pillows they'd made. "That looks awesome." He said, wanting to try it out but definitely wanting food first.

Charlie plopped down after, grabbing a pillow. "Yeah this is comfy." she said.

Kevin dropped a pillow on her face, "Yes, I'm sure it is." he said. Charlie lightly hit him in the leg, laughing a bit.

Sam walked back into the kitchen and unloaded the food they bought and set it onto the table, "Come grab whatever you want." he said.

Castiel held his now empty mug and blanket around his shoulders and his cats. He gently set them down on the bedding that everyone made and put the mug in the sink. He kept the blanket around him though, to keep that warm feeling.

Dean followed behind Cas to the table and looked at everything they had brought. "Mm, looks good." He commented hungrily.

"Grab whatever you like. There's more than enough." Sam told them.

Castiel took out the plates and handed it to everyone as well as silverware. He waited for everyone to grab something before he took some. He didn't grab much, not wanting to feel sick if he ate a lot. Charlie just tried everything and was making Kevin try it with her after she did. Kevin rolled his eyes but didn't worry too much about it.

Sam wasn't picky so he just ate whatever. "What do you think we should do after this?" he asked as he swallowed his food.

"We can watch those movies we never got to watch." Charlie told them.

Dean loaded up a plate of food, taking some of everything. "That sounds good to me." He chimed in between bites of food. "It'd definitely be comfortable with all those blankets and stuff." He added.

Charlie nodded, "I have a lot of movies that would be really fun to watch and just laugh at." she said.

Castiel nibbled away at his food and set his plate in the sink when he was done and got a cup of water after and drank some before refilling it again and giving it to Dean. He smiled a little before wandering away to the bedding and picking up his cats. He laid down, snuggling into blankets and curling himself up and closed his eyes. He was going to take a nap while everyone ate. Charlie and Kevin exchanged a look before looking back at Dean.

"Is he okay?" she asked quietly. "I thought you guys fixed it." she added.

Dean glanced over at Cas and back at the others. "He's doing okay. He's been a lot better, but the ice cream was kind of triggering or something and seeing that cashier definitely didn't help." He replied honestly. "But he managed to calm down again, and he seems good now. Just tired." He added.

"Oh...I would see why he would be." Charlie moved her fork around a little. "What's it like for you? You okay?" she asked.

Castiel didn't really pay attention to them, he knew they were there and kind of heard what they were talking about but he knew it wasn't bad. He brought the cats close to his face, right by his neck and snuggled into them as he slowly fell asleep.

Kevin glanced at Cas's back then at Dean, "We're worried about him too, but we can't forget that you have to deal with it also." he added. "We're here for the both of you."

Deans brow furrowed slightly. "Me? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm always fine." He replied. He hadn't realized they were worried about him too. "I mean, I don't always know what do, but he seems okay and that's what matters." He said with a shrug. "So it's nice to know you guys care and all, but really, I'm fine.

The three exchanged a look, "It's not just you Dean. We're here for you too. We know you care a lot about Cas, but you also got to think about yourself too and not always about him." Sam told him. "And I know you're going to say you're fine, but we're just saying. We're here for the both of you and you're welcome to come talk to us if you need to unload some pressure you don't want to put on Cas because you're worried about him." he said.

Charlie and Kevin nodded, "We're your friends. That's what friends do. We have each other's back and help each other up, after we trip you and laugh about it a little." Charlie said jokingly.

Dean chuckled slightly at Charlie's comment. "Is that another unwritten friend code I didn't know about until now?" He asked with a laugh. "But it's nice to know you've got my back. I'll keep that in mind." He said more seriously. "I'm really fine though." He added.

They nodded together, "Okay. Since we're done eating and getting our feelings out for the night, lets go do something fun. Well...quietly." Charlie laughed a little.

Castiel was fast asleep, balled up with the blanket that he was using earlier and holding his cats close to his face.

"It bothers me as a girl how much cuter he is than me." she commented when she glanced over.

Kevin snorted, "It's because you're ugly." he teased.

Charlie pinched his cheeks and stretched them out, "You wanna say that again?" she arched a brow.

Kevin rubbed his cheeks after, "Ouch..Mean and Ugly." he laughed before dodging Charlie.

Sam arched a brow, laughing a little. "You're pretty Charlie, but I'm sure you know that." he said.

Charlie stopped her attacks, flipping her hair. "I know, but can't deny that sometimes I see cuter people. Like this cute asian shortie." she glomped Kevin and he struggled to get out.

"I prefer you threatening me than this." he squirmed, trying to get out. "Help..." he felt Charlie squeeze him tightly.

Sam shook his head, "You're on your own." he said.

"Yeah Kevin. Don't you want me to hug you?" Charlie squeezed him even more and he wheezed, "No..." he grunted.

Dean smiled at Cas curled up with the cats. He was pretty cute, all huddled up and sleeping. He laughed at Charlie and Kevin's exchange, glad he wasn't on the receiving end of Charlie's affection. "I'm not sure it's still considered a hug if you make him turn blue." He chuckled.

"I'm not "strangling" him. I'm hugging him too tightly." Charlie laughed before letting Kevin go.

Kevin immediately stepped away and took a deep breath, "Oh god. I almost died." He sighed.

"Good. Don't fuck with me." Charlie sneered.

"I'll remember that." Kevin rolled his eyes.

Sam laughed lightly, "Want to watch movies now?" He asked. Charlie nodded, putting the plates away and tip toed around Castiel and setting everything up and turning down the volume.

"We'll watch what we were watching last time." She said.

Kevin walked quietly close by her, "Okay that's fine." He said.

Sam settled of the other side of her, "Well we didn't get to watch it last time." He said quietly.

"Now we do." Charlie replied.

Dean sat down beside Cas, careful not to disturb him or wake him up. "Okay, sounds good to me." He replied, matching their quietness. He didn't even remember what movie it was- probably because he hadn't been paying any attention for the little while they'd watched it last time- so he was fine with that. He glanced over at Cas and smiled softly, reaching over to gently stroke his hair a few times.

Castiel let out a soft pleasing sound, curling himself up a bit more. He blinked awake a little, seeing Dean first. He smiled drowsily at him, catching Dean's wrist and pulling his hand close to his face. He snuggled into Dean's hand, breathing softly. He fell asleep again, loosely holding Dean's hand by his face.

Charlie glanced back at Dean before turning back to the tv, she leaned over to Sam. "I finally know what you mean when you say it feels like you are walking into something so personal that you feel like you shouldn't look." she whispered quietly.

Sam glanced a little to the back before replying, "I know. It's just the way they look at each other." he replied. "They're not even doing anything and it feels like they are." he said.

Charlie grabbed Kevin and scooted closer to Sam, "That's okay, we have each other." she smiled.

Sam laughed lightly draping his arm over them, "Yeah I guess." he said.

Dean grinned and chuckled lightly to himself as Cas snuggled into his hand. He heard the others talking quietly and glanced over just in time to see Sam drape his arms over them. They were a pretty weird group of friends, but he certainly didn't mind. He laughed quietly to himself before turning back to the movie and settling into the blankets.

Castiel felt a warmth near him and he instinctively moved closer to it and let out a soft breath. He was comfy. Charlie leaned onto Sam before sneaking a hand up by Kevin and poking him in the ear, who flipped out after. Sam looked over at him with Charlie like laughing a bit as she looked at him.

Kevin was holding his ear. "God. I can't even sit by you." he said quietly.

"Aw, c'mon Kevin. I don't bite. Unless you want me to." she winked.

Kevin had an unamused face on that made Charlie laugh a little more. Sam laughed a bit, patting the spot next to him. "You can sit here if you want." he offered. Kevin huffed, curling a blanket around himself and sitting off the side.

Charlie laughed, poking him with her leg, "Oh don't be so huffy. It was just a joke." she told him.

Kevin rolled his eyes, "Not talking to you." he said.

Charlie moved and draped herself over him, "Awww Kev, don't be sad. I'm sorry." she apologized.

Kevin looked over at her and she grinned. Kevin sighed a bit, "You're intolerable." he commented.

"You tolerate me." Charlie grinned.

Sam laughed, "She's right." he said.

"I hate you both." Kevin cocooned himself in the blankets.

Dean watched them and rolled his eyes playfully. "It's like watching toddlers over there." He said with a chuckle, looking at Kevin practically pouting as he wrapped himself in a blanket. "Really big, weird toddlers." He added with a grin, laughing lightly.

Castiel stirred a little, blinking awake again and yawning. He rubbed his eyes, breathing out contently. He saw Dean sitting by him and he shifted a bit, moving closer and laying his head in Dean's lap. He was still a bit tired but he didn't feel as tired. Kevin stayed in his little coon, not even showing his face from the blanket anymore.

Charlie was rolling around him, "Keeevin." she dragged out his name. "Come out and talk to me." she whined.

She pulled up the blanket part off his face and he just covered himself back in. Sam laughed a little before he grabbed the cooned Kevin and took him from his spot. Kevin made a startled sound before plopping down onto the bedding closer to them. Kevin unrolled himself and looked at Sam.

Sam laughed at his static hair, "So nice of you to join us. You're a beautiful butterfly." he teased. Kevin was going to re-coon himself up until Charlie squished him.

"No. You can't go back to being a coon, you just bloomed." she laughed. Castiel had no idea what was happening but laughed a little in Dean's lap.

Dean glanced down at Cas as he woke up, smiling as he settled his head in his lap. He followed Cas's gaze over to the others and laughed as Charlie squeezed Kevin again. His hand carded lightly through Cas's hair and he shook his head slightly, chuckling. "I don't even know what to say about them." He joked lightly to Cas.

"Neither do I." Castiel replied softly. He smiled at Dean, enjoying him playing with his hair.

Charlie glanced up at them, "Oh, you awake now. Did we wake you?" She asked.

"I don't believe so." Castiel responded. "You guys are silly." He added.

Charlie smiled, "That's the point." She said. She glanced down at Kevin, "Are you going to forgive me and stop being so huffy?" She asked.

Kevin looked at Charlie, "Fine... now get off of me." He laughed a little. Charlie grinned, moving a bit to let him up.

They were just joking and teasing most of the night. They watched a few movies before they had to sleep. Charlie curled into Sam, taking his warmth. Kevin settled by them. Castiel had drifted in and out during most of the night, he readjusted for Dean and held his cats close.

"Goodnight Dean." He said quietly. He wasn't all that prepared for school tomorrow but Dean was there. That's all that mattered.

Dean settled in next to Cas, letting out a contented breath. "Night, Cas." He replied quietly. He really didn't want to go back to school and he was worried about how hard it would be for Cas, but they just had to face it for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For all the continuous readers, there are SO many chapters. I have no idea if you'll get through them, but if you're looking for something really long. This is it.


	15. Just One Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group go back to school. Castiel is extremely nervous since he's been gone for so long. What will school be like?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Booyaaaaah, two chapters down in one day. Kapow! I'm awesome.

Castiel woke up earlier than he usually did the next morning. He glanced at all the sleeping figures around him and smiled. He slowly moved away from Dean, going to go get ready before he was going to make breakfast.

Kevin woke up next and passed by him and Castiel smiled. Castiel was making breakfast when Kevin came back and helped him in the kitchen and they made breakfast. Sam woke up not long after they started and got ready before sitting in the kitchen and watched them. Charlie woke up with a start, thinking she was late but she wasn't. She glanced around before tapping Dean to wake up. They were all up pretty early but it was fine.

Dean blinked awake, at first confused to see Charlie before remembering that they'd spent the night. "Ugh. Morning." He muttered, stretching out before he stood up and glanced over to the kitchen. He saw that everyone was already ready, so he went to go get changed and everything before going back into the kitchen.

Castiel smiled at Dean. "Good morning Dean." He said.

Kevin glanced back at him, then Charlie behind him. "Morning guys." He said.

Charlie watched the two, "You both look like pretty housewives." She laughed a little. "Great way to wake up." She teased. "Dean over here gets Castiel to wake up every morning to make him food. Lucky bastard." She rolled her eyes.

Castiel laughed a bit, "I make food for all of us, not just Dean." He said."Oh, we made egg sandwiches for everyone. They have a bit of everything on it and I made small lunch for us to go together for later." he told them. He woke up early to cook to calm himself. He was really nervous about today.

Dean smiled, walking over to Cas to grab an egg sandwich. "Sounds awesome." He replied, standing beside him and taking a bite. "Mm, definitely awesome." He said after swallowing. He knew today was going to be rough, but if they could survive it then the rest of the week would be easier. Castiel smiled at his comment, he handed the food to everyone else and boxed everything what for later.

Charlie sat down next to Sam and Kevin and nibbled at the food, "I feel like we should invade your house every morning." She laughed a bit.

Castiel gave Dean a peck on a cheek before looking at Charlie, "I don't mind, but this is not my home. I don't have that say." He said.

"But coming here every morning and then to school seems like a waste of gas." Kevin commented.

"Good point." Charlie hummed.

"Well you're welcome whenever. Just as long as we don't start to get sick of each other." Dean replied jokingly. He glanced over at Cas, wondering how long they'd live together before he considered this his home. "You at least have some say in it, you live here too now."

Castiel glanced over at Dean, "I suppose you are right, but I don't own anything here. I'm much like a freeloader." He replied. "I do not mind if they come, it makes the house more lively." He added.

Sam looked at them, "You have a say Cas. You live, sleep, eat, and drink here. This is like a home away from home. So our place is your place." He told him.

Castiel smiled at that, "That's very kind of you to say, the both of you. I think this place as more of a home than my own. My own, it's more of a house that I reside in." He said.

"You're definitely not a freeloader. You make good food and help me clean stuff. I'm probably more of a freeloader than you." Dean replied with a laugh. It was nice to know Cas felt comfortable there- he definitely belonged with them.

Castiel smiled, having eaten his sandwich bit by bit. Everyone was done and ready to go. "Well time to conquer school huh?" Charlie commented. "Sad that Sam is younger than us and I don't have classes with any of you." she said.

Kevin shrugged, "We all eat together at lunch." he replied.

Charlie made a indifferent sound, "Yeah, but school would be more interesting if we did have classes together." she said. She gathered her pillows and blankets into a small pile with Sam's help, folding. "Alright, ready to go." she said, having all her stuff and Kevin taking some of the load by force.

Castiel grabbed his bag and looked over at Dean, "Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah, having more classes with you guys would be fun." Dean replied, finishing his sandwich and grabbing his bag. "I guess I'm ready, if we have to go." He said jokingly as they walked out of the house and towards their cars.

"Well where are your guys first classes?" Charlie asked as they walked out.

"English, Dean and I both." Castiel replied.

"Oh that's on the opposite side of where I park." Charlie sighed.

"My locker should be from the entrance you come in." Kevin looked at Charlie, "My math class is on that side." he said.

"Oh, I'll drop you off then." she said.

"My locker is that way too." Sam told her. "Oh so I guess it's the three noncouple friends going together." she gave Dean and Castiel a look.

Castiel laughed a little, "I'm sorry for your lack of a significant other." he said.

Charlie sighed, "Nah, it's cool. I'll work on it." she said before unlocking her car and tossing the things into the back and starting the car. She rolled down her windows, "See you bitches at lunch." she grinned, before backing up and driving off.

"It's been a while since I've last been to school..." he said. "I hope it goes smoothly." Castiel glanced at Dean.

"Don't worry, it'll be okay." Dean replied "If anything happens, just text me and I'll be there." He said, stopping to meet Cas's eyes. "And I really mean anything." He added. He was admittedly worried about Cas- anything could happen- but he desperately hoped it would all go smoothly.

Castiel looked up and at Dean and nodded. "Okay." He replied. He felt better that Dean said that. If he needed help, he could just rely on Dean. He leaned up and gave Dean a soft kiss and then another. He smiled a little, "Can't kiss you later and I need one for good luck." He said. He thought back to the cats in their room and wondered if he should've brought them because they really calmed him down, but he would be made fun of if anyone saw him with stuffed animals.

"Mm, I don't know if I can go a day without kissing you. It's going to be tough." Dean replied with a slight smile, leaning in to kiss him again. "Some extra luck." He said with a grin before resigning to getting in the car. It was going to be hard to not touch so much after being so close all break, but he supposed there wasn't much he could do about it.

Castiel settled in the car, already missing the break they were on. They only had to deal with a month of school before they got winter break so he hoped it would come by quickly. Also it was going to be Christmas next month for them and he was really excited about that. He wanted to do something really nice for Dean. He glanced over at Dean before offering his free hand to him, they could hold hands before they got to school. He knew today was going to be rough on him when he was glued to Dean's hip the whole break. They touched constantly and we're always together and he felt sad that they were going to be apart, though silly and irrational that it was only a few hours that they would be apart. He hoped today would go by quickly.

Dean smiled and laced their fingers together as he drove. It was going to be a long day, he could already feel it. Part of him hoped that in Cas's absence his classmates had forgotten about him- maybe no one would even comment. But he internally doubted that and let out a soft sigh as they approached the school.

Castiel just stared out the window, seeing them pull into the school. He was really nervous. It was like the first day of school all over again. He squeezed Dean's hand, reassuring himself that it'll be okay. Just a period before lunch and then the two electives. They were together most of the day. He glanced over at Dean, "I already miss not being close to you and we haven't even stopped touching yet." he said softly. He knew that it was silly of him to think that but he felt like he was missing something.

Dean smiled wistfully, wishing they didn't have to do this. "It'll be okay. Just a few hours and we'll be done." He gave Cas's hand one final squeeze before slipping out of his grip and getting out of the car with a sigh. "Just a few hours." He muttered again to himself, glancing around the parking lot before walking over to join Cas.

Castiel shrugged his bag over his shoulders, looking at the school wearily. He walked next to Dean, thinking of a conversation to say. "Christmas is next month...Do you have any family traditions that I should know about?" he asked. He wondered a little how long he was going to be living with Dean, if he was ever going to have to go back to his house, but he pushed that thought aside.

Dean shrugged as they walked into the building. "Not really. It's kind of like Thanksgiving- we're don't have a whole lot of traditions for holidays." He replied. "Anything in particular that you want to do though?" He asked, glancing over at him.

"I don't really know." Castiel replied, he hasn't done anything that would signify Christmas spirit. "Oh. I've read in books that you decorate trees and the house to bring Christmas cheer, that you bake cookies for Santa, and you wake up at midnight to open presents." he said. "I don't really know what are normal traditions to Christmas." he added.

Immediately as they walked in, everyone turned to glance at everyone coming in. They took a double take once they saw it wasn't their friend but that it was Castiel. They immediately started murmuring to each other, "Wasn't he gone for like a month?"

"I thought he moved."

"I heard someone died."

"Maybe he was in the hospital." they immediately started rumors and it was spreading like wildfire. Castiel squeezed his bag, this was going to be a really long day.

Dean tensed slightly, doing his best to block out the murmurs and stares. "Oh yeah, we definitely have to decorate a Christmas tree. We can make cookies if you want, but I don't think anyone's going to give them to Santa." He replied with a slight chuckle, trying to focus on their conversation and nothing else. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be working too well for him.

"Hey? What happened to you in that month?" Some random person yelled out. Castiel tensed, not looking in that general vicinity. He kept quiet, looking down a little. "What a dick... just asked him a question." The person scoffed.

"They're always together. They have to be dating." Someone that said. "So they're officially gay? Wow. What do you think happened in the time he was gone then?"

"I don't know but they came in together so they probably had something to do with that."

"Ooo, affair, scandal, run away? They probably are dating." someone else said.

Another group was talking on the other side, "I think it's cute."

"They're cool, everyone else is just being stupid."

"Like who the fuck cares what happened?" the group nodded in agreement.

"Why are their lives such a big gossip? Aren't there more interesting things to talk about? Like what did you want for christmas?" someone asked another.

They were a part of most conversations even for just a moment. Castiel was a bit relieved when there were people talking positive of them but he knew there were a lot more people that thought negative of it. They finally made it to class and Castiel dropped to his seat. That anxious feeling was creeping in the back of his mind and his heart rate picked up. He hadn't freaked out but he was on the verge to. He let out slow breaths and started counting in his mind, he had to make it through today.

This was probably going to be the hardest day, but he could do it. He calmed down slightly and looked over at Dean, "I'm just a walking mess." he commented. He would have an anxiety attack at any time, panic attack, those flashbacks, bullying memories. He sighed softly, "I forgot how many problems I had..." he added.

Dean listened to their chatter, glad they weren't the complete center of attention. He sat down beside Cas, stifling a sigh, and frowned deeply at what he said. "Cas, you're not a walking mess. Everyone has issues. You're going to get past this." He replied, hating how hopeless Cas sounded and wanting to reassure him.

Castiel smiled sadly, he knew what Dean was trying to say. He was going to get past the school day and the school year but the memories, flashbacks, his attacks. Those were going to stick with him. Maybe they won't be as an intense as they are now but he won't ever forget about it.

"You're right. You're here. I'm going to get through this." he said. Class was going to start soon and the students have glanced back at them a few times and chattered, looking at Castiel.

Dean smiled slightly, hoping he'd helped a little, before turning to glance at the students who were occasionally glancing back. He scowled, wishing they could just mind their own damn business and leave Cas alone. Today will be the worst, but it'll only get better after that, he thought to himself, letting out a puff of air. They could make it through one day.

Their history class was simple, nothing too difficult right back from break. Then in english they had to do a short writing but that was about it. In between every class there would be starts and whispers, rumors getting more ridiculous and elaborate during the passing period. Their last class together was science and they would have to part ways in the next class for math. Castiel was not ready to not have Dean by his side, he was nervous. More people have asked him and tried talking to him today than they have ever had before and he was scared that he would say the wrong thing or anything that would throw them off to make them angry. He just kept quiet, trying to pay attention in class and taking notes.

Dean glanced at Cas out of the corner of his eye, wondering how he would do for their classes apart. So far it seemed okay, other than more people trying to talk to him than normal. With any luck, Cas's classes apart would go just as smoothly without him. After all, it was only a few periods. People were still talking and staring in the halls, but at least no one had actually tried to really bother them today. Dean let out a soft sigh and glanced at the clock. The class was almost over.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, seeing him look at the clock. He was nervous, he was going to be alone. "I can still text you about anything right?" He asked. "Even if I'm not in trouble?" He added. He knew Dean would say he could but he just wanted to make sure. Just one period and then lunch. He put his stuff away keeping his notebook and pencil out for the next class.

Dean looked over at Cas and smiled slightly. "Of course. You can distract me whenever you want." He replied jokingly. He would probably feel better if Cas did text him- then he wouldn't have to worry that something could be happening to him.

"Okay." Castiel smiled a little. He knew he told Dean to do better in school but he didn't want to be alone today. The class bell rang and class was over. Castiel slowly pulled on his bag. "I'll text you when I get to my class then." He smiled sadly.

Dean nodded and returned the sad smile. "Okay, sounds good." He replied, standing slowly as well. He felt nervous for Cas- but it was only for a little while. He gave Cas a half wave before he turned to walk to his class, letting out a sigh as his smile dropped once Cas couldn't see. Dean didn't want him to know how worried he actually was.

Castiel gripped his bag tightly, hearing the murmurs around him. He looked down, there was no one to stay by him this time.

A person came up beside him, "Alone huh? Where's your boyfriend?" He asked. Castiel didn't say anything. He just continued walking. The guy put his arm around him, "I can just walk you to class." He offered. Castiel shrugged off his arm, not wanting him to touch him. "C'mon. I'm just trying to be friends with you." He said, walking in step with Castiel.

"Why?" Castiel asked.

The guy didn't hear, "What?" He asked. Castiel didn't repeat himself. The guy grumbled, "Why? Well... I shouldn't tell you but there's a bet going around for anyone to get you to be friends with someone and you telling us what happened. I just, you know don't want people to bombard you." He smiled.

Castiel didn't look up, nor did he trust those words near the end. They did not sound sincere but the "bet" sounded like it was true. He quickly walked to his math class and sat down at his seat. The guy sighed and left. There was actually a lot of people talking about the bet, but no one wanted to go through with it because they didn't want to seem gay. Castiel immediately took out his phone.

Cas: I don't like being apart. I don't know how to deal with people.

Dean made it to class without incident and immediately pulled out his phone when he sat down. He drummed his fingers against the desk impatient, snatching his phone when he saw Cas's message and relaxing when he read that Cas wasn't in trouble.

Dean: I don't like it either. Hopefully if you ignore them they'll leave you alone.

Cas: There's a bet going around where the winner is whoever can become friends with me and I tell them about what happened between my disappearance, wins. I don't understand why it matters so much.

Castiel sent back. He didn't even bother looking up, he already knew people were looking and talking. He didn't glance to the seat next to him, not wanting to have to engage in a conversation.

Dean frowned at the message. Why was that even a bet? Why did they care so much? He sighed, knowing it was because Cas was such a mystery to them. Just one more thing to gossip about.

Dean: I don't understand it either. There's probably all kinds of rumors going around. I don't get why people care so much about it.

Castiel glanced out the window. It was already winter but there was yet to be any snow. It was cold out but not freezing. He didn't really want to talk about everyone else.

Cas: Do you ever play in the snow? Or is that only for children?

Dean noticed Cas changing the subject and didn't question it, figuring he'd want to take his mind off of it for a while.

Dean: I used to play in the snow as a kid but I still do now. Snowball fights are fun, building snowmen, snow angels.

Cas: I have never grasped the concept of snow angels. They do not look like "angels" or how many people portray them. I read that it was normal to go ice skating, sledding, skiing, during the winter. Do you do any of those?

Castiel was curious on how Dean spent his winter and what he did. He wanted to get an idea of what they could do together.

Dean chuckled to himself at Cas's comment about the snow angels- of course he wouldn't think they looked enough like angels.

Dean: I don't know, but they're fun. I've been sledding and ice skating, I'm not sure about skiing. We'll have a lot of time over Christmas break.

Cas: Are you saying that we'll get to do a lot of things over break? I would love to do winter things with you Dean. I would like to try a lot of things involving Christmas and the winter weather.

Castiel replied to him, smiling a little. He knew there was a lot of Christmas things to cook, mostly sweets so it would leave the house smelling sweet most of the time if he got a chance to bake.

Dean smiled slightly. It hadn't even snowed yet as Cas was getting excited about doing writer things together, grinning at Cas's phrasing.

Dean: Then I guess we have stuff to look forward to. Doing winter things together.

Castiel blushed a little at having Dean text him back of his wording. He smiled though, he was already looking forward to break but even more so that they were going to have plans together.

Cas: Well I guess you get to look forward to me baking a lot more often. There are a lot more warm pastries to cook during the cold weather. Also cuddling. We get to cuddle a lot.

He loved to cuddle with Dean, it made him feel nice and safe and loved. It was always nice to cuddle.

Dean smiled softly, moving his phone under his desk while he read it. He knew no one was trying to read over his shoulder, but the messages from Cas felt so personal, even if they were casual.

Dean: More baking and cuddling- sounds like I'm going to like spending the winter with you.

Cas: Well I hope you will. I know that I will enjoy spending the winter with you. I would enjoy spending any day with you.

Castiel replied, he glanced out the window, feeling a lot better than he did when class started. He was thinking about the time they will spend together over break and it was something he looked forward to.

Dean smiled again at the message before glancing up quickly, realizing he'd just been sitting there and grinning at his phone most of the class.

Dean: It'll be awesome. We just gotta make it a couple more weeks and then we'll be in the clear.

Cas: Just a few weeks. We can make it.

Castiel was feeling better, the day was almost over and school won't be that much harder after today. It was just getting back and seeing everyone that made it hard. They see each other next period and then after that is just two hours. That's all. He can do it. Class was about to be over soon so he sent another message.

Cas: I'll see you at the usual.

Dean read the text just as class ended, and he was one of the first ones out of the room. He was relieved that nothing had happened to Cas so far but he was still anxious to meet up with him. He walked up to the roof, pausing to wait for Cas.

Castiel met him a little bit after, he had quickly ducked around people and just made it up there. He smiled once he saw Dean, "Hello Dean." he said.

They were standing by the door before there was a little note stuck to the window, "Meet us in room 004 - C&K" it read.

Castiel hummed softly, "Must be getting too cold to eat on the roof. Let's hurry and meet everyone." he told him. He felt a lot better that he was by Dean, it made him feel safe.

"Hey Cas." Dean replied with a smile. "I was wondering what we were going to do once it started getting really cold." He added, walking with Cas towards the room. "They must've found an empty classroom or something."

"I believe we have established that most classes are unused and empty. I think Charlie just made a duplicate key like she did for the roof, which also baffles me. How did she get a key to the roof?" Castiel said confused. He was following Dean a little, remembering the ways of the halls. "It is getting cold out. We might need to start bundling up." he commented.

"I don't have any idea." Dean replied with a chuckle. "I guess she has her ways. And yeah, soon it'll be getting really cold. Do we need to go back to your house to get jackets or anything?" He asked, glancing over at him.

"I don't believe we do. I did grab a few things from my house when we went on our date. I'm not sure how cold it will be but I grabbed what was necessary." Castiel told him. He hummed softly as they walked, nearing the class. "Do you have everything that you would need to stay warm? Hats, gloves, scarves?" he asked.

Dean shrugged. "I have the same stuff I've always had. It's always been fine before." He replied, looking over at him. He walked over to the classroom Kevin and Charlie had said to meet at and opened the door for Cas.

Castiel smiled at Dean, "Thank you." he said. He stepped in the class first, originally thinking of making Dean a scarf but he already had one. He would probably just have to think of another gift to give him.

Charlie looked up to see them, "Took you guys long enough." she said.

Kevin rolled his eyes, "No it didn't. We got here not that long before you." he said.

Charlie clicked her tongue. "You always ruin my fun." he huffed.

"That's my goal." Kevin smiled.

Charlie lightly pushed him as she laughed a little. "Short." she teased.

"Mean." Kevin replied.

Castiel smiled they made a small table of desks and he sat down opening his bag, he pulled out their lunches and handed them to them. "They're almost alike to what we had this morning. Sorry I couldn't really make anything else. We didn't really have much." he explained.

Kevin shrugged, "That's fine. We at least have something. Thank you." he replied.

Charlie smiled, "It was tasty this morning so it's all good with me." she added.

Dean laughed and rolled his eyes at their banter, sitting down at their makeshift table. "Yeah, none of us are complaining." Dean replied to Cas with a chuckle as he passed out the food. He took a bite of his and nodded. "Yep, still just as good." He confirmed.

Castiel smiled at everyone, he felt a lot better being with people who cared about him and with Dean by his side. It was a lot better than this morning and he can easily make it through his other classes. They were simple classes and no one usually ever talked to him when he went to those classes. He nibbled away at the food before glancing at Charlie and Kevin.

"What do you guys do for Christmas?" he asked.

Charlie hummed, "I go to my grandparents house and we have everyone in the family come and have this huge family get together. It's always chaotic but it's really fun." she replied. "It's my favorite holiday." she added.

Kevin replied next, "I normally just spend time with my mom. She gets to stay home from work and we just make things together and decorate our tree. You know. The usual Christmas things." he responded.

Castiel nodded, "Oh. That's sounds very nice." he said. "I never had to spend Christmas with my family so I'm "celebrating" it for the first time with Dean, Sam, and Bobby." he said happily. "I'm excited for Christmas."

"Yeah, it should be pretty fun. We've never really been a tradition kind of family but I think it'll be pretty awesome this year." Dean replied. "Plus Cas said he was going to bake a lot, so that automatically makes it better." He added with a grin.

"You're going to be fat when you come back from break." Charlie teased. "Can't eat all those sweets alone Dean." she said.

"Would you like me to make you some as well?" Castiel asked.

"God yes." Charlie replied instantly.

"What about being fat?" Kevin laughed.

Charlie looked over at him, "I never said anything was wrong from getting fat, mostly if you're happy when you are." she replied.

Kevin shrugged, "Good point." he said.

Castiel laughed a little, "You two fight a lot. Are you actually fighting?" he asked. Charlie and Kevin both looked at him.

"Yes." Kevin replied.

"No." Charlie replied before looking over at Kevin. "You sarcastic asshole." she pushed him. "No we're not actually fighting. I love Kevin. We're best friends." she hugged him.

Kevin mouthed, "No. She's crazy. I'm held hostage." he said.

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Dramatic."

"Fat and happy is the way to go." Dean told Kevin with a grin. "Yeah, they've got a very 'special' bond. The kind that's either for old married couples and friends like them." he teased with a chuckle.

"We're not an old married couple." They both replied.

Charlie arched a brow, "Hmm, maybe we are. You grouchy old man." she teased.

"That would make you a snippy old hag." Kevin retorted.

Charlie dug her knuckles into his hair, "What was that Kevin? What am I?" she asked as she tortured him.

"Ow! I said nothing! I said nothing!" he said.

"That's what I thought." Charlie let him go.

"Hag." he mumbled. Charlie shot a glare at him.

Castiel laughed, "That's an interesting friendship." he said.

Dean laughed at Charlie giving Kevin a knuckle sandwich. "Yeah, 'interesting' is a nice way to describe whatever that is." He joked with a chuckle, motioning between the two. "But whatever works for you guys is great. It's nice entertainment." He added, grinning.

Castiel smiled, leaning on Dean. He rested his head on him, lunch was going to be over soon and he thought it would be a good idea to stay close to Dean until then. Charlie and Kevin were bantering still, not really caring that he did that. They expected that much from the couple. He laced his fingers through Dean's and let out a soft breath. School was such a different experience for him now. He didn't like coming for some reasons but he didn't hate it anymore. He made friends and he met Dean and that was all it took to give him a better perspective of school.

Dean smiled and leaned his head on top of Cas's, brushing his thumb across his hand. Just like that, he was reminded of what Sam said about being in their own world- he was still listening to the exchange between Charlie and Kevin, but his focus was on Cas. He could hear him breathing quietly beside him, and the soft weight of his head against his shoulder was comforting. He hated the thought of having to split up again after lunch, but at least they were almost done with the day.

Castiel smiled softly, looking down at their hands before taking his other hand and drawing on the top of Dean's hand. He draw a heart because he didn't want to say it out loud but he felt happy and loved like he always did when he was next to Dean. His heart always felt filled with emotions that made him feel giddy.

Charlie was pinching Kevin's cheeks and he was sticking his tongue out at her. What was happening in the room was quite odd but that's how they all felt comfortable with each other. No one passed by the classroom so they were perfectly fine with acting how they were. They were an odd group but they liked it that way.

Dean watched Cas draw against his hand, smiling softly when he recognized it as a heart. He turned slightly to kiss Cas's head, glancing over at Charlie and Kevin and chuckling lightly when he realized they were too absorbed to notice the kiss. Dean glanced at the clock and frowned, dreading the end of lunch and reluctant to leave their comfortably relaxed spot.

Castiel smiled, squeezing Dean's hand when he felt him kiss his head. He knew lunch was going to be over soon but he enjoyed their time together and Dean's kiss just made him feel like he could do it. He didn't want to leave but they couldn't avoid it.

Charlie laughed at Kevin, finally letting him go before looking over at the two. "Wow. Didn't know you two could get that cozy so quickly." she said. She smiled before cleaning up the containers and putting them away in Castiel's bag.

"Thank you." Castiel told her.

"You're welcome." Charlie replied. They had a few minutes left. Charlie grabbed her things and so did Kevin.

Kevin looked over at Dean, "Did you want to go to wood together or should I go on ahead?" he asked.

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up." Dean replied to Kevin. They had a couple of minutes left and he desperately wanted a moment alone with Cas, though he wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say. He just wanted a moment for them, even if it wasn't going to last especially long.

Kevin shrugged, following Charlie out. Castiel slowly sat up, looking over at Dean. "Don't you have to get to class?" he asked. "I wouldn't have minded if you left." he added.

Dean shrugged. "It's not that far, we still have a few minutes. And I wanted..." He met Cas's eyes and trailed off, leaning forward to kiss him softly for a moment. "To make sure you had enough luck for the rest of the day." He finished, smiling slightly.

Castiel smiled, leaning forward and taking another kiss. "I guess I needed just a bit more." he laughed softly.

He felt like he was going to be okay. Two hours weren't that long and he could text Dean anyways. He glanced at the clock, they were going to be released right about now so he grabbed his bag and shoulder it to stand back up. He would kiss Dean again but they have to leave the class and not be seen.

"I'll see you in gym though." he said.

"A little extra luck shouldn't hurt." Dean replied with a smile, grabbing his bag as well. "See you in gym, then." He added, giving Cas a half wave before turning and walking towards his shop class. He was still a little worried about the kids in gym, but he figured he could deal with that once they got there. And at least he would be with Cas.

Castiel waved a little in return and started walking to his class. He was going to be just fine. Nothing ever happened in these classes and then he'll be with Dean for the last. He had forgotten about the kids who bullied him in gym since he was suspended when he disappeared and he hasn't been back in a while. He got to cook a strudel in cooking class so he was happy. He got to his art class and saw that they were completely on a different task than when he left so he didn't really get to text Dean in art. He said a few things but that was about it. Soon they had gym and Castiel waited in his class like always, for Dean to come get him.

Dean felt cautiously optimistic as he walked down the hall to where he knew Cas would be waiting for him. Just one more period. They could get through this, no problem. He smiled when he saw Cas, wondering if he felt as worried as Dean did. "Alright, one more class." He said, trying to stay positive about it.

Castiel tilted his head slightly at Dean's slightly off expression but returned his smile. "I made a strudel today in class." he said as they started walking. "It has peppermint pieces in them." he explained.

One more period and they were free to go home. He hadn't thought too much about this class but they walked into the locker room and to their lockers and people were already changing and that's when it hit him. He didn't feel comfortable getting changed in front of all these guys and them being this close. They could accidentally brush arms against him and he didn't want them touching him. He swallowed thickly, trying to breath. He was okay. He just needed to go to the bathroom stall to get changed. He quickly unlocked his things and grabbed his clothes before walking toward the bathroom. He bumped into someone after and he was already half freaking out that he just jumped away.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Castiel. Back to school again huh? Thought something might have happened to you." the guy sneered. Castiel felt the panic in him rising and he needed to leave. He felt surrounded and it was making him panic.

"Cat got your tongue? What's the matter? You look like you're shaking. That scared of me huh? Thought you were into guys." the guy was half dressed and Castiel was not even looking at him. He grabbed Castiel and pulled him toward him and he felt his skin under his.

All the blood drained from his face and he immediately looked down and covered his mouth. He felt sick. "D-Dean..." he said in a broken voice. He was having an attack and he was scared.

Dean didn't think much of Cas wanting to go to the bathroom to change, but the separation made him uneasy. He was following a little bit behind Cas to make sure he'd gotten there when Dean saw the guy blocking him. A quick glance at Cas, clearly fighting off an attack, and his eyes narrowed at the other kid.

"Leave him alone." He commanded warningly, stepping up by Cas.

The guy dropped Castiel's wrist and looked over at Dean. "Oh, Dean comes to save "Little helpless Cas" again huh? Maybe he should learn to just answer people's questions and grow a backbone." he mocked.

Castiel felt sick, he had to get out /now/. He hunched over a bit and grabbed the hem of Dean's shirt and shook his head. He needed to leave. The guy looked over at Castiel, "Wow. Talk about a wimp. Do you really need him to stand up all the time for you? You can't even reply to me." he talked down to him. "You're such a baby. Going to go cry now?" he asked.

Castiel knew he was making Dean mad and he felt humiliated but he didn't want Dean to get in trouble so he tugged persistently at Dean's shirt to get him to go. He didn't know how much more he can endure before he had a full attack. His heart rate picked up, his stomach turned sickeningly, he wanted to throw up, his skin broke out in cold sweat.

Dean clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth together in anger. He could feel Cas tugging at his shirt, but he wanted nothing more than to sock the guy in the jaw. He wanted to teach him a lesson, to make sure he never bothered Cas again. He was about to tell Cas to go and let him handle it, but he glanced down and saw the state Cas was in.

"C'mon, we're leaving." He said, looking up to glare at the guy again, his fists clenched by his sides.

The guy didn't even back down to Dean's glare. He just met his glare with a look of defiance. He watched him lead Castiel out and he calls after them, "He should've never come back. He doesn't belong here. Not some brat like him." he said.

Castiel didn't even bother looking back, he just pulled Dean along until he got out of the locker room and slumped down onto the ground. He felt the bile crawling up his throat, he shut his eyes and squeezed them tight, trying to calm down his panic but closing his eyes made him think back to the alley. He had no idea what to do. He was panicking. He almost started hyperventilating, he felt light headed, and couldn't focus. His legs felt weak and he didn't know what to do.

Dean bit back a retort, instead making a mental note to pummel the dick as soon as he got a chance. His anger evaporated the moment Cas collapsed, replaced immediately by concern. He crouched beside him and started to reach out to Cas before he stopped himself, realizing it would probably do more harm than good.

"Cas, it's okay. It's just us, no ones going to hurt you." He said softly.

Castiel slumped forward, pressing his hands to the floor and trying to breathe. He was taking in sharp short breaths, trying to focus. He put his head down on the cold tiles but he felt exposed near his back and he started freaking out even more. He could hardly concentrate that Dean was right next to him, trying to calm him down. He rolled over onto his back, laying flatly on the ground. He felt goosebumps on his skin and he was just staring at the light above him. It gave him a headache.

He had no idea what to do with himself, everything was throwing him between two loops of memories of bullying and being raped. He remembered lying on the cold ground in the alley and being beaten up and just left there, lying there with no one around. He felt cold. He shuddered, trying to cover his eyes from the sensitive light but not wanting it to be dark. He couldn't breathe and he wanted to sit up but lay down. He swallowed continuously, his throat felt really dry. He wanted to throw up.

"Cas? Cas, look at me," Dean said, leaning over him slightly. This seemed even worse than the previous attacks, and he felt a knot of fear in his stomach. His hands fluttered over Cas, helplessly torn between pulling Cas into a hug and not touching him at all, before they fell to Dean's sides again. He glanced down the hall, wanting to get Cas water but afraid to leave him on his own.

Castiel tried taking in deep breaths but they were shallow, shaky breaths. He had his eyes squeezed shut, tugging at his hair a bit. He really needed to calm down. He heard Dean say something, remembering a bit that he was still there. He slowly opening his eyes a bit, looking up at him. His eyes darted back and forth, trying to calm down. His eyelids fluttered, feeling the need to close them. He wanted to ball up but he felt tired, he didn't feel like he had the energy to do that. He felt like he would throw up if he did. He wanted Dean to comfort him but he didn't want Dean anywhere near him. He didn't want someone to touch him but he felt freezing cold. He felt dizzy from the lack of him breathing.

"I...I'm...so….scared..." he breathed out, slurring some of the letters since his tongue felt heavy. He didn't know what to do. Him not knowing was making him freak out even more.

"Okay, it's alright." Dean said calmly, lightly setting one hand on Cas's shoulder. He was still trying to find a balance of how much touching Cas needed, but his erratic breathing was even more worrying. "You need to calm down, okay? Try to focus on taking slower, deeper breaths." Dean continued, keeping his voice even and slow in an attempt to help Cas relax a little.

Castiel didn't move when Dean put his hand on his shoulder. He kept perfectly still, scared but also comforted. He tried to listen to what Dean was saying, letting out a longer breath so he could take one in, but everything just felt so small and confining, like it wasn't enough.

His breathing was shaky and he was trying really hard to focus on breathing. He felt light headed from his breathing and he still felt sick. His stomach was starting to make him gag, making the cold sweat even worse. Everything felt so heavy. Castiel moved his head back and forth before just lying it on one side, feeling as if a pool of sweat was building under him.

He calmed down just barely. He was getting in breaths better but his eyes kept darting around, fearful and his mouth was dry. He wasn't bordering hyperventilating anymore but that wasn't helping the rest of his attack. He tried to focus more on the breathing, trying to calm himself.

Dean nodded slightly as Cas tried to control his breathing, but he knew it wasn't helping him enough. He suddenly remembered thanksgiving, feeling just as helpless now as he did then.

"Cas, I know you're scared, but it's okay." He said, managing to keep the desperation out of his voice. "You're safe. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."

Castiel bundled his own shirt in his hands, clutching it tightly. He whimpered just a little, he was trying so hard not to go back into his full panic attack. His eyes kept shifting, he wasn't in the dark alley, he wasn't getting raped but he kept think of school. School, bullying, being pushed around, being locked in a locker. He was so mentally drained, he tried slowing his breathing over and over again but he it always picked back up and slowly back down. Dean wasn't going to let anyone hurt him, he was here. He wanted Dean to hold him now, he leaned his head against Dean's hand. He wasn't getting raped, he was scared, He didn't want to be left alone, didn't like the humiliation, the bullying, their mocking stares or laughs.

Dean felt Cas lean against his hand and immediately took it as encouragement for more. He pulled Cas carefully into a hug, having to restrain himself from holding Cas too tightly. He could feel the sweat through Cas's clothes and him lightly shaking. Dean hated not being able to help more, hated that Cas had to go through this, but most of all hated the person that set off the attack in the first place.

Castiel gripped Dean's shirt, leaning his head onto his shoulder and trying to even his breathing. It smelt like Dean and it was a lot easier to calm down once he latched onto something familiar. Something he knew that was safe. His breathing slowly started to even out, still a little quick but it was a lot better than he was earlier. His heart was still beating rapidly in his chest, feeling the cold sweat dying on his skin. He felt disgusting and sick. He closed his eyes, breathing in and out, taking in that familiar smell he knew so well and loved. He relaxed just slightly in Dean's arms, loosely holding onto him. He felt so tired, like someone hit him with a ton of bricks and he hasn't slept in weeks. His limbs felt so heavy, his mouth was dry, his mind was racing but it was completely chaotic and broken thoughts. He wanted all of it to just disappear. All of it just to go away and that he was home again with Dean, safe and happy. His eyes drooped, he was so tired. He was like dead weight on Dean, relying on him completely. He leaned against him, not having the energy to do anything. He was aware but not. He knew where they were but not making the connection of where they were. He was tired but he couldn't sleep because they were still in school. Everything was calling him to sleep but he couldn't.

Dean held Cas against him, supporting him and keeping him close. He brushed Cas's damp hair out of his face, trying to calm him. He felt Cas starting to calm down and felt a sense of relief, despite him leaning so heavily on Dean. "Okay, we're going home." He murmured, not expecting a response from Cas but feeling the need to say it anyway.

He remembered their bags in the locker room and groaned slightly, tempted to leave them before realizing that the locker room was probably empty again by now. He picked Cas up carefully and ducked into the locker room, making sure everyone was out before walking in and grabbing their backpacks, shifting Cas in his arms so that he could get one on each shoulder. It was more weight than he was used to carrying, but he only had to make it back to the impala. He glanced down at Cas, trying to gauge his state.

Castiel was drifting back and forth between consciousness. He was trying to force himself to stay up. He barely knew what was happening, knowing that Dean was shifting him around. He managed to put both his arms around Dean's neck and lightly pull up. It was extremely difficult to do with how tired he was but he was going to do it.

Dean felt Cas pulling himself up slightly and appreciated the effort as he walked out of the school. He glanced around to make sure no one would stop them, though he figured one look at Cas would be enough for any teacher to let them go. He managed to fish out the keys and unlock the doors, setting their bags in the back first before going around to the passenger's side and laying Cas carefully down. He leaned across him and buckled Cas up, figuring he wasn't thinking clearly enough to do it himself, before quickly going around and sliding into the driver's seat.

"Just a couple more minutes and we're home." He said half to himself, glancing over at Cas before he started driving quickly home.

Castiel wasn't even listening, his head lolled back. He felt cold again, alone and it was making the panic rise. He was back in Dean's car, going home but he was thinking of being raped and it was just so mentally draining. He was just bouncing between the two. His breathing had picked back up and he pulled his legs up, he just tried to keep it all together, feeling safer if he just balled up.

Dean glanced over at Cas and sped up, wanting him to he a home and safe again. He pulled up to the house and hurriedly got out, going around to Cas's side and picking him up while he was still slightly curled into a ball. He left their backpacks, walking into the house and up to his bedroom. Cas was already half asleep, so he gently laid him on the bed. He wanted to be sure Cas was more stable before he left him to get water.

Castiel felt something soft around him, relaxing a bit. He made a sad sound at the lost of warmth. His mind was in jumbles, mixing reality and memory. He felt the soft bed but he felt cold and alone. He curled himself tightly, wanting to get rid of the feeling. His breathing was slightly picked up but it was mostly even. He was tired and lying in a bed made him even more tired. His mind was too exhausted to think, yet it still was. He just laid there, falling in and out.

Dean thought for a moment, debating on whether to go get water or not. He hesitated before tucking the blankets around Cas and leaving quickly, coming back with a bottle of water for whenever Cas woke up. He set it on the bedside table before pulling back the blankets again and laying beside Cas, wrapping his arms around him protectively. He wasn't sure how long Cas was going to sleep, but he knew he wanted to be there when he woke up.

Castiel fell into a restless sleep, he was in a deep sleep but it wasn't a nice one. He started having a nightmare, Dean was in it. He was telling him that he was weak, that he wanted someone better, that he wasn't good enough.

Castiel whimpered in his sleep, sniffling and shaking. "Dean...don't go..." he pleaded softly, crying a few tears. "I'm sorry..." he drifted off. He curled into himself tightly, wanting the pain to go away. It hurt so bad.

Dean shifted closer to Cas, rubbing his arm lightly to comfort him. "It's okay, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." He said softly, knowing Cas was still asleep but hoping he heard him anyway. He hated seeing Cas looking so scared and hurt, but he didn't know what else he could do other than be there for him again.

Castiel fell back asleep, not thinking of anything. His mind was too tired to make up any more scenarios. He woke up a little later, his mind not wanting to sleep and be at rest. He felt warm but also someone touching him. He was too tired to react but he tensed up. He slowly turned around to see Dean looking at him. He still looked terrible, he looked really tired, his eyes were just blank, his skin was still kind of pale than his normal tan. He let out a sigh and rested his head against Dean, he doesn't remember much of what happened. It was all just bits and pieces but he remembered what it felt like and it was terrible.

Dean looked at Cas with concern; the nap didn't seem to have helped him at all. He reached over and grabbed the water bottle, offering it to him. "Do you feel any better?" He asked quietly.

Castiel shook his head slightly, he looked at the water bottle, not wanting to take anything in but knew it would be a really good idea to do. He took the water bottle, shaking a little. He let out a small breath to steady himself before kind of sitting up and drinking just a bit. It made him feel a little better, but he felt sick drinking it. He just laid back down, not wanting to move or anything. His body just felt so weak.

"Is there anything I can do?" Dean asked with a frown, wishing Cas could tell him exactly what to do to make him feel better. Unfortunately, he knew Cas was probably just as lost as he was, which only made him feel more helpless. At least Cas had drank some water, which should help. "I could get you something else to drink." He offered lamely.

Castiel shook his head, he didn't want to eat or drink anything. He felt like it would make him throw up. He reached out and grabbed the hem of Dean's shirt. He didn't want to be too close but he wanted Dean here. He wanted to fall asleep again, but he wasn't sleepy. He was tired. He didn't know how he was supposed to make himself feel better. Panic attacks of bullying he knew but he didn't know how to deal with the rape one and having them both threw him completely off guard. It was the worst thing he has ever felt. He just wanted to lay there for a while, not doing anything.

Dean nodded slightly, deciding that they could just lay there for as long as Cas needed. He'd never seen an attack so bad, and he knew it had to be whatever the guy had done. Residual anger still flared beneath Dean's concern for Cas, and though he had no idea if Cas would be up for going back to school tomorrow, Dean was resolutely determined to make sure he never bothered Cas- or anyone else for that matter- again.

Castiel just laid there, everything felt heavy and it was crushing. He held on the hem of Dean's shirt and just stared off, not looking up toward him. He wondered a little to where his cats were. They calmed him down last time, maybe he'll feel better this time. There was a soft knock on Dean's door.

"Dean?" Sam called out, he slowly opened Dean's door. "I heard you left early and they called me down to make sure you were okay." he said. He slowly stepping into the room, giving Dean a chance to tell him to leave or stop if he wanted to.

Dean glanced down at Cas and then up at the door. He didn't want to talk about it in front of Cas while he was still freaked out. "Yeah, it's okay. Cas just... Needed to come home." He replied, figuring Sam would understand what he meant.

Sam was in the room and he could see Cas's figure laying next to Dean's. He didn't seem like he was doing anything, so he thought maybe he fell asleep. "Oh. You guys don't need anything do you?" he asked. He knew the reason, assumed it, but he didn't know why they left early. It must've been really bad if they did.

Dean glanced down at Cas again, debating on whether he was okay to be left alone so he could talk to Sam, before deciding that he'd wait just a little longer. "I don't think so." He replied, looking up at Sam again.

"Okay. If you guys do need something, just ask." Sam glanced between the two before turning back and closing the door softly behind him. He didn't expect Dean to leave Cas at this time, it seemed like it was a really bad time so maybe later they would talk.

Castiel hasn't uttered a word since his nightmare, he wasn't sure if it was because he was tired or because of the dream. He just stayed quiet and stared off at nothing. He blinked a few times, his breathing was normal but it wasn't really much to him.

Dean nodded slightly as Sam left, glancing back down at Cas. He sighed internally, wishing he could comfort him. "Look, Cas, I know this won't help any now, but I'm not going to let him- or anyone else- do that to you again." He told him softly, his sincerity apparent in his tone.

Castiel nodded a little, before scooting closer to Dean. He didn't glance up at him but he came closer. He rested his forehead against Dean's chest and just laid there quietly. His mind was clearing up and it was easier to think but the exhaustion was still there. He wasn't as pale anymore but his eyes were still blank and he hasn't said anything.

Dean gently wrapped his arm around Cas, wishing Cas would talk to him and tell him what to do. He hated not knowing how to help him and Cas's silence only made him more worried. He opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't think of anything to tell him.

"...I don't want to go back to school yet." Castiel said softly.

He didn't look up at Dean but he finally mustered up some strength to say something and what he was thinking. He had never been more scared of going to school now that he felt what an attack was like. Even more so that Dean was there and that didn't even help him that much. He just laid there against Dean and stayed quiet after that.

"That's okay." Dean replied quietly. "You don't have to until you're ready." He added. He had no idea how long that would be, but he definitely wasn't going to pressure him to go back after what had happened.

Castiel knew it was something nice for Dean to say, but he couldn't just skip out on school. He already missed enough school but it didn't go on his record because Michael paid the school so he virtually hasn't missed any school. He just needed to graduate, he knew everything they were teaching but if he missed school, he wouldn't graduate. He pushed it aside and let what Dean said comfort him instead. He scooted closer to Dean and completely buried himself into him. He wrapped his arms around Dean's torso and just hugged him tightly. He nodded a little at what Dean said so he knew he replied.

Dean held him a little tighter. He knew Cas had already missed a lot of school, but if he could just miss one more day then Dean could go back and take care of the guy and make sure nothing else happened when Cas returned.

"Dean... if I don't go back to school tomorrow. You won't be reckless would you?" Castiel asked. He remembered how mad Dean was and he didn't want him to get in trouble because of him. They would not be easy on Dean, seeing his reputation. "Don't do something because of me." He added softly.

"I won't be reckless." Dean assured him. "But you can't expect me to not do something." He added. There was no way he was just going to let him get away with it- Cas had to know that.

Castiel pressed his lips together before finally looking up at Dean. "No, I didn't expect you not to do anything, but I don't want you to. The only person that will get in trouble out of that would be you and I don't want you to get in trouble because of me." he said. His eyes weren't blank anymore, mostly since he was talking but they were sad, angry, fearful, worried. Just different emotions. "I wish suffering onto him but I shouldn't. I want to hit him, but I won't and I don't want you to do that for me." he added.

"Cas, I can't let him get away with that. I just can't." Dean replied, trying to not be affected by the worry and fear in Cas's eyes. "He needs to know that he can't just push you around like that." He continued.

Castiel looked up at Dean, holding onto his shirt. "Dean. Tell me you won't hurt him." he said. He knew it was wrong for the guy to bully him and that he should be disciplined but it wasn't their job. He wasn't sure how well Dean would hold his anger when he actually would face this guy and he knew that the guy would always try to provoke Dean. "Please tell me that you won't hurt him." he repeated.

Dean clenched his teeth slightly- he didn't want to make that promise. He wanted to pummel the guy, not leave him alone. What else could he do then? He glanced away angrily before sighing reluctantly and looking back at Cas. "Fine. I won't hurt him." He muttered, upset but truthful.

Castiel let out a small breath, before scooting up to be eye to eye to Dean. He gently cupped the side of Dean's face and gave him a soft kiss before resting his forehead against Dean's. "Thank you." he said softly.

He closed his eyes a little, just calming himself for being close to Dean. He felt some of his worry subside and he felt a bit better. He didn't feel sick anymore. "Will you please find my cats?" he asked nicely. He felt they would really calm him down if he held them. He glanced over at the nightstand over Dean to see the water bottle, he'd probably should drink more if Dean went to go find his cats.

Dean nodded slightly, his features softening a little at the kiss. "Okay, I'll go grab them." He replied, sliding out of the bed. "Be right back." He added, walking out of the room and disappearing for a few minutes. He returned with the cats, offering them to Cas before sitting on the bed again.

Castiel watched Dean go before scooting over and grabbing the water bottle and drinking more of it. He drank about half of the bottle before he set it aside and settled back in his spot. Dean came back and offered him the cats that he took gratefully. He hugged them close to his chest, burying his face a little into their soft fur before looking up at Dean.

"Thank you." he said. He felt better that he had them now, he was calmer. He felt sleepy now but stayed awake.

"No problem." Dean replied, smiling slightly as Cas held the cats to his chest. His anger faded for the time being as he watched Cas cuddle against them. "I'm glad we got those cats. You really seem to like them." He commented, leaning against the headboard beside him. "Did you really want that one because you think it looks like me?" He asked curiously, grinning slightly.

Castiel blushed a little, hiding his face in the cats. He squeezed them closer, "...Yes." He mumbled. He felt flustered now that Dean knew his intention of wanting that cat so badly. It was childish but how could he resist something that reminded him of Dean.

Dean smiled as Cas hid his face in the cats, chuckling slightly. "That's nice. Plus now you have something to remind you of me if we ever actually do something separately." He said, carding his hand through Cas's hair affectionately a few times. "Not that I see that really happening." He added with a laugh.

Castiel leaned against his hand a bit before glancing up at him. He slowly moved the dark cat into Dean's lap. "Then you'll have this cat." He said softly. He smiled a little. "Then we'll both have something."

Dean smiled and took the cat, stroking it's fur with his thumb. "Thanks, that's perfect." He replied, liking the idea of having something to remind him of Cas. Not that he would really need it- they were practically joined at the hip- but he still appreciate the gesture.

Castiel smiled, scooting close to Dean and lying his head in his lap. He turned slightly to look up at Dean. He kept the cat resting on his chest as he did. He placed a soft kiss to the Dean cat's nose.

He smiled up at Dean after. "I feel better now." He said. "I'm sorry for the scare."

Dean tucked his cat under his arm and played lightly with the ends of Cas's hair. "You don't have to apologize, it wasn't your fault. I'm glad you're feeling better though. That one seemed pretty bad." He added a little more softly. It was always frightening when Cas shut down like that, but this time had been worse than usual.

"...I never had anything like it." Castiel replied quietly. It was really scary for him, it felt like he would black out and then he would be forever consumed by his memories. He squeezed the cat closer.

Dean frowned slightly, tracing his thumb down Cas's cheek. "I know you don't want me to hurt him, but we still have to do something. I'm definitely not leaving you alone in gym again, but somehow he's going to find a way to get to you." He said, wondering why the guy hated Cas so much when he'd never done anything to him.

"What could we do? It's his choice to do that." Castiel glanced up at Dean. "What did you wanted to do originally? Just threaten him? What if that goes the wrong way and he goes further and makes it worse?" He asked.

Dean sighed. "Well, I didn't really have a set plan, but threats and a few punches to show I was serious were what I had in mind." He replied, doubting Cas would like the sound of that. "And if he tried to make it worse, I'd flat out beat him up." He added seriously.

Castiel stared up at Dean, "Don't do that. It won't look good on your behalf, no matter how much it will make you feel better. I'd be sad if you were to be blamed because of something you did and I was the reason. Can't you just ask him why and try to remove the situation from the roots? That would seem right." He replied. He gently reached up to brush Dean's cheek, "Don't hurt someone because of me. It's not right to do."

"I won't. As much as I want to, I won't." Dean replied with a soft sigh. He was reluctant to agree to not hurt the guy, because he definitely deserved it, but he didn't want to make Cas upset. "I'm not sure how willing he's gonna be to sit down and chat about his feelings, but I guess I'll give it a try." He said, not sure of how good he was going to be at that. He wasn't the best talker and it would be difficult to stay calm, but he figured he'd give it a shot if that was what Cas wanted. Anything to keep the guy off of Cas's case.

Castiel smiled at Dean, "Thank you. Trying is all I ask." he said. He knew Dean could handle his own, so he hoped that this student wouldn't try to engage Dean into a fight. He lightly touched Dean's cheek with his fingertips as he watched. He slowly lowered it back down, before meeting Dean's eyes, "Will you lay down with me?" he asked. "If you don't want to, it's fine." he added.

Dean smiled slightly, hoping that trying would be enough to solve this problem. "Sure, of course I don't mind." He replied, shifting down to lie beside him. He moved closer to Cas, relaxing as he felt his warmth.

Castiel shifted a bit so he could lay against Dean, resting his head on his shoulder. He was sleepy now, he yawned as he snuggled closer. "Will you sleep this time with me?" he murmured, falling asleep a little already.

"I'll try. I can always go for a nap." Dean replied quietly to not wake him any. He wasn't particularly tired, but Cas was warm as his rhythmic breathing was already lulling him into drowsiness. He yawned, shifting into Cas and closing his eyes.

Castiel fell asleep quickly, keeping his cat close to his chest with one arm as the other draped over Dean. He had his head resting on his shoulder and wrapping his legs around Dean's and he was content. He didn't have a nightmare during their nap. He felt protected and comfortable. He didn't dream of anything but he was happy with that. He slept for a while, the exhaustion taking it toll and letting him sleep.

Dean fell into a light sleep, not nearly as tired as Cas was. He had one arm around him and the other held onto his cat, sleeping for a little while before blinking awake again. He glanced down at Cas to see if he was still asleep and smiled at how relaxed and peaceful he looked, glad he didn't seem to he having any nightmares.

Castiel didn't wake up, he was still sleeping away his exhaustion and events of today. He snuggled in closer to Dean, breathing evenly. There was another light knock on Dean's door,

"Dean? Cas?" Sam called, before opening the door and stepping in a bit. He saw them laying together and Cas sleeping against Dean. Sam cracked a smile at how odd but cute they looked. They were both holding cats, tangled in each other and Cas looked completely relaxed. Sam turned to look at Dean, "It's getting kind of late. Do you want me to call in for food?" he asked quietly.

Dean made a face at Sam's smile, glad he didn't comment on their position. "Yeah, I think it's be best to order something in. I dunno how long Cas is going to sleep." He replied softly. "He had a pretty bad attack today." He added even more quietly.

Sam nodded slightly, "Yeah. I figured since you guys went home. Was it that bad?" he asked. "What made him have an attack?" he added. He glanced over at Cas to see him still sleeping, it was a lot better than earlier when he first came home. He didn't see much of him but when he came in it just seemed like all the life from him was gone and now he was just sleeping. Also the vibe from the room was bad but now it was a lot calmer.

"It was worse than any of the other ones." Dean responded quietly, glancing down at Cas and back up at Sam. "This guy in our gym class- a total dick- bullied him before he left and started messing with Cas while he was trying to go to the bathroom to change." He said, his anger seeping into his voice.

"Worse?" Sam said incredulously, his eyebrows raising up slightly. He saw the visible anger on Dean's face and he would be worried about the guy who crosses him. "What's the dude's problem? Do you even know him?" he asked.

"I don't have any idea!" Dean replied, glancing down at Cas and lowering his voice again. Castiel stirred in his sleep, before letting out a long breath and falling back to sleep. "I don't know what his problem is, but I'm going to try to talk to him tomorrow. It's Cas's idea." He added, though he figured Sam would know that Dean wouldn't come up with something like that.

Sam glanced at Cas before back at Dean, "I figured. You look more like you would beat him to a bloody pulp." he replied. "So what if he doesn't want to "Talk" then what?" he asked.

Dean looks down at Cas and sighed softly. "If the guy won't talk and Cas's way doesn't work, I'll go more my own way. I promised Cas I wouldn't get him, but..." He trailed off, shaking his head slightly. "I'm not going to let that happen again. I'll figure something else out." He said determinedly.

"Well whatever you want Dean. If you need help with something, I'd be willing to lend a hand, but after school hours. Then it's fair game." Sam supplied, looking over at Dean.

Dean arched his brows slightly in thought. "That's a good idea. I'll give Cas's idea a try during school and if it doesn't work then maybe we'll have to 'talk' again outside of school. Thanks, by the way. Hopefully it won't come to that though." He added, looking over at him. He didn't intend to pull Sam into the middle of this as well, but he appreciated knowing that he had his back.

Sam shrugged a little, "Just giving you options. You're welcome though." he replied. "I'm going to go order the food now so it won't be too late when we eat." he said. "Good luck for tomorrow." he added before leaving.

"Thanks." Dean replied as Sam left. he glanced down at Cas thoughtfully, trying to decide what exactly he was going to do tomorrow. He was going to try talking first, but if that didn't work what was he really going to do? He'd told Cas he wouldn't hurt him but he had to do something. He sighed quietly, figuring he'd just have to see how tomorrow went.

Castiel slept for a bit longer, he woke up a little later. He slowly blinked awake, rubbing his eyes a little to see Dean. He smiled drowsily at him, hugging his soft cat. "Hello Dean..." he mumbled. He laid his head back on Dean's shoulder, blinking slowly as his mind was waking up and looking at Dean.

Dean smiled softly as Cas blinked awake. "Hey, Cas. Sleep well?" He asked, pushing his concerns for tomorrow out of his mind for now. "It seemed a lot better than the first nap you took." He continued, thinking of Cas's nightmare.

"Mhm..." Castiel nodded his head slightly. "I feel a lot better." he replied. He was so warm and cozy from sleeping that he didn't want to move so he just laid against Dean. "Were you awake for long?" he asked.

"Just a little while. I didn't mind though- Sam came in, he's ordering food. It'll probably be here soon." Dean replied, deciding to leave out the rest of the conversation. "I was afraid we might have woken you up, but I guess not." He added with a chuckle.

Castiel shook his head, "No. I didn't really hear anything. I was too tired." he replied. He smiled at Dean, "I feel a lot better this time so that's good." he said. "I'm sorry I was not up to cook though, you could've just woken me. I haven't cooked in a while." he added.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I wanted to let you sleep. You seemed really tired." Dean replied, waving off his apology. "I'm glad you're feeling better. You can always cook tomorrow if you want. We won't mind." He added with a grin.

Castiel smiled, snuggling into Dean and squeezing him a little. He felt good now, being able to sleep and just having Dean. He was nice and cozy. He leaned up just slightly and kissed the side of Dean's neck. "I'll definitely try to cook tomorrow. Please bring home supplies?" he asked. He looked up at Dean, "Anything is fine for us to eat. Something you want to eat and I'll write down the ingredients for you." he added.

Dean smiled and tightened his arm around Cas as he snuggled closer. "Okay, no problem. Just write me a list and I'll get whatever you need." He replied, glad Cas had improved so much from earlier. They were back to being generally contented again, which was a relief to him.

"Okay. I'll think of something I can make." said Castiel. He smiled as Dean hugged him closer, he leaned up slightly and kissed Dean's jaw.

There was a call from downstairs, "Dean! Cas! Bobby! Food's here!" Sam yelled for them. Castiel let out a soft sigh, he didn't want to get up from his comfy position but they had to eat.

Dean smiled slightly at Cas's sigh, feeling the same reluctance to leave the warm, comfortable bed but also pretty hungry. He disentangled himself from Cas as stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "Well, at least we can come get comfortable again later." He said before he walked with Cas downstairs where Sam and Bobby already were. "So what'd you order?" He asked.

Sam glanced over at them, "Subs and pasta. Thought it would be a good idea to eat something not greasy for the last few days we have." he said.

Castiel smiled at him, "Thank you for ordering." he said.

"Oh, no problem. It's not a big deal." Sam shrugged. "So I just got their most popular subs and a few different pastas." he gestured. "Have at it."

"Awesome, sounds good to me." Dean replied to Sam, grabbing plates and utensils for everyone before loading his up with food. He sat down at the table, followed by Bobby with his own food.

Sam filled his plate with whatever and sat down with Castiel trailing after him. Castiel nibbled on his food, before eating more of it. He was a lot hungrier than earlier. He still ate as his pace but of more amounts.

Sam glanced over at Cas who was forking his pasta. "What are you going to do about school?" he asked.

Castiel stopped, placing his fork down slowly and glancing over at Dean, figuring he told Sam. He looked down, playing with his fork a little before he replied. "I...I wish to take the day tomorrow. I don't really want to go back just yet..." he said softly.

"Yeah, and that'll give me a chance to sort out the problem." Dean added as he glanced over at Cas and back at Sam. Bobby arched a brow slightly but didn't comment, figuring Dean would have asked for help or something if he couldn't handle it on his own.

Sam nodded, "Right well, it'll be okay. You'll fix the problem." he said.

Castiel picked at his food before finishing the rest of what he had. He slowly got up and put his dish away before walking upstairs and coming back down. He set down on the table 4 little baggies of a strudel he made today in school. "I almost forgot about these..." he said softly. "I hope I'm not a hassle if I stay home tomorrow." he added, glancing at them.

"I don't think you could be a hassle if you tried." Bobby replied, joking lightly.

Dean perked up at the sight of the strudel, having forgotten about Cas telling him he'd made them earlier. "Those look awesome, by the way." He interjected.

Castiel smiled at both of them. "I try not to be, even so. Thank you Bobby, Dean." he said.

Sam laughed a little, "You don't think you're starting to develop more of a sweet tooth Dean? I mean, you only used to eat just pie, but now you're eating all these other sweets and pastries too." he commented.

"I think it's more of a whatever-Cas-makes-tooth." Dean replied with a laugh. "I mean it's always amazing, so I'll always eat it. Even if it's not pie." He added with a grin.

Castiel blushed, hiding his face a little. He smiled bashfully, "Thank you Dean. I'm glad you enjoy what I make." he said, glancing at Dean before playing with his fingers a little.

Sam arched a brow, "Well, I can only handle so much love and sweetness in a room for one day." he laughed lightly. He picked up the strudel and put his plate away, "Thanks for the sweets Cas." he said. "I'll just eat it upstairs." he added. Castiel nodded a little, glancing at Sam as he tried to will away his blush.

"Yeah, I think Sam has the right idea. Thanks, though." Bobby said with a chuckle, taking his upstairs as well.

Dean grinned as Bobby left, looking over at Cas. "Well now we know what to do when we want them to leave." He said with a laugh.

"They deserve courtesy, we have to spare them." Castiel smiled at Dean. "So you really always enjoy my cooking?" He asked. "That makes me happy." He added.

"Of course. I love everything you make." Dean replied with a smile. "So far you haven't made anything I don't like. I'm definitely gonna die fat and happy." He added with a laugh.

"Well at least you're happy." Castiel laughed a little. "A little pudge won't do you harm. It will make you soft and squishier than you are." he teased a little. He felt really happy that Dean loved everything he made, it was another reason why he always wanted to cook, to get to see Dean smile so brightly when he tried things.

"Hmm, I might want to wait a few years before I get soft and squishy." Dean replied with a laugh. "So hopefully it'll take a while for your cooking to make me fat." He said, wondering what they'd be doing in a few years. Would Cas still be cooking for him? They'd still be together, he felt certain, but maybe by that time Dean would know how to make a few things for Cas on occasion. He smiled slightly at the thought, hoping he'd be able to prepare more than just burnt toast for Cas.

"I hope my cooking won't make you fat at all. I tend to watch how I cook my food and if they are making you fat, then I have done something wrong." Castiel told him. "Now. If we were talking about eating sweets, then yes. You would get fat and you would get pudgy." he added with a grin. "Which also reminds me, I believe you have a pie in the fridge." he supplied. "But you have your strudel as well." he glanced at Dean. He laughed lightly, "You can eat that later, go eat your pie." he said.

Dean grinned, perking visibly. "Oh yeah! How could I have forgotten?" He said, standing and going quickly to the fridge. "I'm sorry, I'll never forget you again." He told the pie jokingly, going back to sit with Cas. He took a bite and hummed in appreciation. "Not as good as yours but still pretty amazing. D'you wanna bite?" He offered.

Castiel looked at the piece that Dean was holding, hesitating just slightly before taking it. He chewed the piece thoughtfully, feeling a quick pass of memory but it passed and he was fine. He let out a soft breath, feeling better that he was getting better at doing things as before. He was happy he didn't have an attack and it was something that Dean had ate on thanksgiving as well so he made really good progress. He smiled a little at his accomplishment, "Should I leave you with your love?" he asked teasingly.

Dean smiled, relieved that Cas had been able to take the bite and stay relaxed and happy. "I like being alone with both of my loves." He replied with a grin, taking another bite. "Although this one's not gonna last much longer." He added, glancing down at the nearly finished slice.

"Good. I don't like sharing you." Castiel rested his arm on the table and leaned onto it and looked at Dean with a smile. "I like to be your only love and not have to compete with a slice of pie." he laughed lightly.

"Well now you know how I feel about you and my pillow." He informed Cas. "Except my pillow's not going anywhere, so you two could run off at any time." Dean replied as he finished off the pie, cracking a grin towards the end. "Maybe I should get soft and squishy from your cooking so you won't replace me."

Castiel laughed a bit, grinning. Dean was too cute to resist and it made him bubbly with happiness at how he acted. He leaned over slightly and kissed Dean's cheek. He gently hugged Dean after, "You're already soft and squishy." he teased. "But a little more soft and squishy and you'll guarantee yourself that you won't be replaced by the Dean pillow." he said. He glanced up at Dean with a smile before giving him another soft kiss on the cheek.

Dean chuckled. "Okay, so I just have to eat more of your food to make sure you don't replace me. I think I can do that." He replied, grinning. He was definitely glad Cas was back to being happy and playful again, and he smiled at the kisses Cas gave him.

"That sounds about right." Castiel laughed a little. He laced his fingers through Dean's hand, "Do you want to go upstairs now?" He asked. "Unless you would like a few words with the remainder of your other love." He teased.

Dean looked down at the plate and sighed dramatically, scraping the last remnants onto his fork. "Good bye second love." He said before he finished it. "Okay, I'm ready." He told Cas with a grin, keeping his hold on Cas's hand as he put the plate in the sink before going upstairs.

Castiel smiled, pulling Dean into bed with him. He wrapped his arms around Dean and just laid on him. "See, you're very comfy right now so I won't replace you." He laughed lightly.

"Well at least I'm safe for now, then." Dean replied with a chuckle, moving his arm around Cas and pulling him closer. "I can keep you for a while longer, which is enough for now."

Castiel nuzzled his face against Dean's, smiling a bit at their closeness. "Yeah you have me." He said. He kissed the side of Dean's neck, burying himself there and breathing softly.

Dean smiled softly. "And you're all I need." He murmured in reply, kissing the top of Cas's head as Cas snuggled into him. He felt a wave of love and protectiveness with Cas in his arms, and he was determined to keep him safe.

Castiel smiled, he loved being this affectionate with Dean. He squeezed him a little. He rubbed his thumb across Dean's knuckles, feeling protected and safe. He was always comfy in Dean's arms, it made him happy.

"So are you still tired?" Dean asked, unsure if his nap that afternoon would make it hard for Cas to sleep or if he was still tired from what had happened earlier. Either way, Dean was content to lay there with Cas, all warm and comfortable.

"Not exactly, but being this close to you always makes me feel like I should be." Castiel replied quietly. "Are you tired, I won't disturb you if you are." He said, glancing up at Dean.

"No, not really. I didn't sleep as much as you earlier but I wasn't as tired either." Dean replied, looking down at him. "So now we're both huddled up in bed but not tired." He said with a chuckle.

"That's okay. I enjoy it." Castiel smiled. "I love cuddling with you. I didn't know how much enjoyment I could get from close proximity but I enjoy it greatly. I didn't know I was a cuddle person." He laughed lightly.

"Yeah, I definitely didn't think I was a cuddle person." Dean replied with a chuckle. "But I didn't think I'd be the kind of guy for a lot of the lovey-dovey stuff we do, but I like doing it with you." He said, smiling and giving Cas a slight squeeze.

Castiel smiled at him, feeling so happy and loved that Dean loved doing these intimate things with him, mostly since he wasn't even much of a fan of it, he liked doing them with him. He leaned up and kissed Dean softly. He kissed him again right after and smiled, keeping his face close. "I'm happy you do." He said.

Dean smiled at the kisses. "Of course I'm happy. I'm always happy with you, and I'm happy that you're happy because I'm happy." He replied with a laugh, kissing Cas again. "I love you." He added softly.

Castiel laughed softly at Dean's explanation and returned his kiss, "I love you too." He replied quietly, looking into Dean's eyes and smiling. He gently squeezed their hands, "A lot." He added.

"Well, I love you more than pie." Dean replied with a grin, figuring that was the best way he could express it. "Just so you know. I mean pie comes pretty close," he joked, "But I still love you more. More than a lot of things." He added, not wanting to say more than anything though he realized it was probably true.

Castiel's eyes gleamed, "Really? I love you more than writing." He replied. He meant it too so he wanted to tell Dean that.

"Well then I guess it's good we have each other." Dean replied with a smile. "We have each other and writing and pie, which is the best combination." He added with a laugh.

Castiel laughed a bit, "Yes that's true. Are you going to be okay with going to school tomorrow. I won't be there to talk to you." he said sadly. "You won't be too bored in class will you?" he asked.

"Oh I'll definitely be bored. Bored out of my mind." Dean replied with a chuckle. "So you have to text me, pretty much all day." He informed Cas, smiling. That was definitely the only way he'd be able to make it all day without him.

Castiel smiled, "Okay. I'll be sure to do that." He said. "I will be sure to keep a moderation to not distract you too much and you get in trouble." He added. He kissed Dean again, "You should sleep if you have school."

"You can't distract me too much, it's not even possible." Dean replied with a laugh. "Mm, I guess I should get to sleep. Or I can always sleep in school." He joked before yawning involuntarily. "Or now I guess." He added, settling in against Cas. The warmth and relaxation were making him drowsy anyway, and he knew he'd be able to fall asleep easily now.

Castiel smiled, before scooting up and hugging Dean's head to his chest and shoulder to stroke his hair. He let out a content breath and kissed the top of Dean's head. "Goodnight Dean." He said softly. He stroked through Dean's hair soothingly as he said that.

Dean smiled into Cas's chest, perfectly comfortable. He wrapped his arm over Cas's middle and made a contented sound. "G'night Cas." He murmured in response, closing his eyes and falling asleep quickly with the sound of Cas's breathing pulling him.


	16. Let's Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean goes to school without Cas to confront the bully. Why does he have such a grudge against Cas? Dean is going to figure that out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm fucking awesome. You know how many pages these last 3 chapters were all together? 87 pages. I'm fucking amazing. You guys are too if you can actually read all these chapters. Bless your souls for trying to get through this.

Castiel woke up the next morning on his same time schedule and slowly climbed out of bed to make Dean something to eat and bring to school. He took some pasta that was leftover from last night and boxed it along with some simple sandwiches. He made the same things for Kevin and Charlie and hummed as he put things together. He also made a list for Dean to bring home groceries. He wanted to cook fish so he had it listed on there with a few things and food that was needed around the house. He folded it in half with extra money with it. He put away the containers in Dean's bag after attaching his note and another one. He smiled a bit before going upstairs again and gently nudging Dean. He was up a bit earlier than he normally did so it was still kinda early for Dean.

"Dean... Dean. Wake up. You have school to get ready for." He said.

"Mmf?" Dean mumbled sleepily, rolling over and rubbing at his eyes before looking up at Cas and smiling slightly. "I like you a lot more than an alarm clock." He commented before sitting up and stretching. "You're not even coming to school and you still get up before me." He chuckled as he stood and walked over to grab clothes.

"I'm my own alarm clock. I wake up on a schedule." Castiel replied as he watched Dean. "Good morning Dean." he added. "I made you breakfast downstairs." he told him, "It'll be a little cold, but it should be okay." he said.

Dean perked up and looked over at him. "You already made breakfast? Best alarm clock ever." He teased before going into the bathroom, reemerging a few moments later have changed and gotten ready. "I don't care if it's cold, I already know it'll be good." He added as they walked down stairs together.

Castiel hummed softly, "I already put yours and everyone else's lunch in your bag and this is the list of ingredients I wish for you to purchase. I'm willing to split the cost with you so I'm giving you extra money." he told him as Dean sat down. "Also I put the strudel in there for you as well for dessert, sadly I don't have one for Kevin or Charlie but I don't think they'll mind too much." he said. "If you have any questions on buying the ingredients, feel free to ask me any questions when you are there. I'd be happy to answer them." he smiled. "Also, I didn't know what you would like to drink this morning, what are you in the mood for?" he asked.

Dean smiled as Cas listed all the things he'd already done and prepared for. "Wow, you've been busy already. Thanks for all of that. I feel so taken care of." He added with a grin, sincerely appreciating the stuff Cas had done. "I'll have some orange juice, please." He responded as he started to eat.

"I enjoy taking care of you. Mothering as you said before." Castiel laughed lightly as he wanted to the cupboard and got a cup and filled it with orange juice and set it down for Dean. He sat down in front of Dean with a soft smile, "Or a housewife, that's suitable as well." He laughed.

Dean chuckled, taking a sip of the juice. "I like housewife too, but you can call it whatever you want- I'm just thankful you do it." He replied with a smile as he ate. "So are you going to be okay without me all day? It'll probably get pretty boring." He warned with a grin.

"Yes it will be quite lonesome without you but I suppose I'll just wear one of your shirts and hug one of the many things that are close resemblance to you. Like my cat or your pillow." Castiel teased. "Lying in bed in your shirt does sound pleasant though. I might consider it." he said. "Plus I have to keep a certain Winchester entertained in school. I can't ever have peace." he glanced over at Dean with a small smile.

"I know, I'm such a hassle. I'm not even sorry though." Dean replied with a grin as he finished his breakfast. "Plus I can't feel too bad for you if you're just going to lay around and text me. It's a tough job, but I'm sure you can handle it." He teased, finishing off his orange juice.

"I'm going to be writing while I wear your shirt to soothe my loss of you. It'll be like you're there but not as warm and loving." Castiel smiled. "I will be sure to text you so you don't bore out." he added. He took Dean's plates and set it into the sink and came back, "No rush for you to leave. You'll be far too early if you leave now." he said. "I guess I can take some of your time can't I?" he asked.

"Thanks." Dean said as Cas took his plate and glass. "Its weird not rushing out the door, but it's kind of nice. And you can always take as much of my time as you want." He added with a smile.

Castiel smiled at him, "You're welcome Dean." he said softly.

He was standing off the side of the table, looking at Dean before he gently touched the bottom of Dean's chin and tilted him up just slightly so he could kiss him. He kissed him again before coaxing it into a deep and loving kiss. He didn't break it for a while, gently rubbing his thumb on the edge of Dean's jaw. He slowly broke the kiss and opened his eyes, panting just slightly from the long kiss.

A blush dusted on his cheeks and he smiled softly, "I always wanted to do that to you." he said.

Dean raised his brows slightly as Cas kissed him, leaning into it slightly and returning it. He wasn't expecting the slow, loving kiss, but he definitely enjoyed it. He looked up at Cas as he pulled away, breathing slightly more quickly. "I like you doing that to me." He murmured in response, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Yeah? Well...we have time to do a few more." Castiel said softly before catching Dean's lips into another kiss. This one was a little more rough and he stepped closer to Dean to deepen it, he slid his free hand into Dean's hair and stroked it as they kissed.

Dean smirked slightly as Cas pulled him into the next kiss, more than willing to let Cas control the kiss roughly. He moaned softly into Cas's mouth and shifted in the chair to move closer to him, not sure what had gotten into Cas that morning but liking every moment of it.

Castiel moved a little to step between Dean's legs and cup his face and kiss him. He broke it every so often for a quick breather before taking another kiss. He moaned softly into Dean's mouth, adding a little more roughness to the kiss every time he kissed him.

Dean followed each of Cas's kisses, just trying to keep up with the roughness and move his lips with his. Cas's confident control was incredibly addicting, and the thought of school slipped further and further from his mind with each kiss. They could have continued forever and Dean would have still been completely absorbed with Cas.

Castiel finally broke the kiss with a rosy flush across his cheeks as he panted. He looked at Dean with a dazed look, running his thumb over Dean's lips that were slicked with spit. His eyes flickered a bit as he licked his own, he locked eyes again with Dean, panting a little.

"You have to go to school. You're going to be late..." he breathed out.

Dean's eyes fluttered open to meet Cas's as he broke apart. "So? That's never bothered me before. And this time I have a good reason." He replied breathlessly, smiling slightly as his eyes flicked down Cas's face before meeting his eyes again. "You're really going to do that and then send me off to school?"

"What do you want me to do if I didn't send you on your way? You're going to be late if I don't." Castiel stared at him, swallowing a little. "Yes, I'm sending you off to school. I don't wish for you to be tardy though I would love for you to stay." he said quietly. His eyes flickered back down to Dean's lips, holding himself back to stop kissing Dean. His eyes glanced back up at Dean's before he gently stepped back. "I think if I kept you any longer you'll be late." he said.

Dean sighed slightly, wishing he could stay home and continue what they were doing. "Fine, okay." He replied, knowing that today was going to stretch on forever without Cas there but also that he needed to do whatever he could to solve this issue with the guy from gym. "I'll see you this afternoon then. This isn't over." He added with a grin, gesturing between them before he stood and gave Cas one last quick kiss. He paused at the door to smile slightly and give Cas a half wave before he walked out and headed to the impala, dreading the long day in front of him.

Castiel smiled, watching Dean go and waved a bit to him as he left. He didn't know what he was going to be doing with his time. He went back into the kitchen and cleaned everything before going back upstairs. He really did change shirts and snuggled back into bed. It smelt like Dean and it was nice. Castiel kept his phone close and his notebook for when he wrote but he just waited patiently for Dean to get to school.

Dean drove to school and got out with a sigh, already knowing today was probably going to suck. He walked to first period, and even though he'd been alone for the few weeks before break, it still felt off to not have Cas by his side.

**Dean:**   _I'm already bored._

Castiel was writing a bit as he waited and then his phone went off, he laughed a little.

**Cas:** _I don't know how you'll survive throughout the day if you're already bored._

**Dean:** _Me neither._

Dean responded, smiling slightly to himself. The day dragged on with only Cas's texts to break up the boredom, and it seemed to take forever for even lunch to come. He walked over to the same room they'd been in yesterday, knowing that Charlie and Kevin would wonder where Cas was. "Hey guys." He greeted as he sat down, pulling out the meals Cas had made.

Charlie and Kevin were bantering as always but stopped once he greeted them. "Where's Cas?" They asked.

Castiel was diving into writing so his replies to Dean were progressively slower. He was sitting there for a bit before he received a text and then another. He stopped for a moment once he realized the second beep. He reached for his phone and then opened up his messages, he had one from Dean and then one from Gabriel. Castiel was particularly confused at that so he opened that one first, he read it over quickly before he quickly got out of bed and changed clothes. He looked back at his phone sending a text to Dean.

**Cas:**   _Have a nice lunch. I'm going out for a bit to see Gabriel. I'll be back before you come home._

"He's staying home today. He had some trouble with a guy in gym yesterday, so I'm going to sort it out. He still made food for us though." Dean added with a smile before feeling his phone buzz. He read the text and felt slightly wary, though he knew there probably wasn't any reason to be nervous about Gabriel. "Anyway, Cas'll probably be back tomorrow." He said, looking back up at them.

Charlie and Kevin nodded, "That was nice of him. He didn't have to. So what's happening in gym? Like what made him stay home? Was it that bad?" Charlie asked curiously. Kevin glanced at him, wondering the same thing.

"Some jackass was giving him a lot of trouble. The guy has bullied him before, but it gave Cas a really bad attack. I had to take him home early." Dean explained, shaking his head slightly. "I don't know what the guy's problem is- Cas definitely never did anything to him- but I'm going to find out today."

"He had an attack in school?" Charlie said incredulously.

"And some guy evoked it?" Kevin added.

"What are you going to do?" Charlie asked. "Are you going to beat him up?" Her eyes glistened a little.

"That was my first thought, but Cas made me promise not to hurt him." Dean replied with a sigh. "So I'm going to go talk to the guy." He rolled his eyes. "But if that doesn't work, maybe I'll have to have another 'talk' outside of school to make sure he knows I'm serious."

"Huh? Why? I would be happy if someone would beat up someone for me." Charlie said thoughtfully.

Kevin rolled his eyes, "I think you'll beat them up on your own." He commented.

Charlie sighed before looking back at Dean, "So you'll have another "talk" later? Off campus and don't get caught." She said.

"Well, Cas is a good person and all that, so he doesn't want me to beat anyone up." Dean replied with a shrug. "But don't worry, I won't get caught. And maybe if the guy's lucky it won't come to that." He added with a smirk.

Charlie stared at Dean, "You're scary when you're threatening. It's so much more different from what we saw yesterday from you two in lunch. It's actually pretty cool but scary." She commented.

"Well I hope you don't actually murder the kid. So what are you doing to do before the after talk?" Kevin asked. "If threatening isn't first."

Dean chuckled at Charlie calling him scary when he was threatening, deciding to take it as a compliment. "Well, I'm not as sure what I'm going to do. I'm not so much a talking kind of guy, as you probably figured out. I guess I'll just get him alone and ask what his problem is with Cas. Then threaten, then after school talk." He replied, shrugging. "I dunno how else to do it."

Charlie laughed bit, "Good luck with that "plan" of yours." She said. "Making school a better place for your boyfriend. It's cute." She smiled.

Kevin glanced at the clock, they spent the whole time talking. "Well lunch is almost over, so good luck with what you're going to do." He said.

"Yeah, thanks." Dean replied with a chuckle, glancing over at the clock and packing away the containers back in his bag. Only a few more periods until gym, and he was more eager than ever to get this over with.

Castiel didn't get a chance to reply to Dean's text until later, he came home and was just lying down on the bed. He just didn't reply. Gym was soon to arrive for Dean and it was not going to be easy as they wanted it to be.

Dean walked into the locker room a few periods later, scanning quickly around the room until his eyes narrowed on the guy. His temper immediately flared but he fought to keep calm- at least for now. He tossed his backpack to the side and strode over to him, deciding that he may as well get this over with as soon as possible.

"You and I need to have a little chat." He said coldly.

The guy turned to look at him, "What?" He replied flatly. "Where's that boyfriend of yours? Hiding? I was right about him." He mocked.

Dean clenched his hand slightly- it would be so easy to hit that smugness out of him, but he was determined to control his anger, if only for Cas's sake. "What's your problem with Cas?" He demanded. "He's never done anything to you."

"And?" He replied plainly. "I hate weak people like him, who don't know how to stand up for themselves. He's supposed to be a boy yet he's just as prissy as a girl." He added. "Maybe I don't actually have a problem with him, what if it's with you?" He asked. "What if all his suffering is because I hate you?"

Dean opened his mouth to make an angry retort at his comment about Cas being weak before the guy continued. "Hate me?" He asked in confusion. Dean wasn't sure what he done to warrant the guy hating him, other than defending Cas, but at this point he didn't particularly care. "Well if it's me you hate, why take it out on someone else?"

"What's the quickest way to make you mad? What hurts you the most when you can't even defend him? Guilt trip isn't it? Must be the worst feeling huh?" The guy looked directly at Dean taking with a calm voice. "You're terrible. I'm just trying to help him out. Make him have a backbone and stand up but all you're doing is making him weak and let people step all over him." He shrugged casually.

Dean's jaw clenched slightly and his hand balled into a fist at his side. What infuriated Dean the most was that it was working, he did feel guilty about it. "You have a problem with me? Let's settle it then. Just you and me, like men instead of being a little bitch and taking it out on someone else." He snapped.

"Are you sure I have a problem with you? I did say that it was probable. I never said you were the cause. Maybe I just need to entertain myself. Why would I need to deal with you? You're not even worth my time, I just thought it would be nice to get a rile out of you." He smiled. He brushed by Dean roughly, "Using violence to solve your problems don't make you much bigger than me just because I use verbal words than using my fist. Only stupid brutes think that." He mocked before going out.

Dean watched him leave in an indignant rage, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails were biting painfully into the palms of his hands. He didn't understand why the guy had chosen them to pick on, to be his "entertainment", but worse than that was the fact that Dean had no idea what to do now that he knew the asshole didn't have a real motive for any of this. Dean hadn't hurt him, which would be a relief to Cas, but offered Dean no consolation. He hadn't fixed the problem, might have even made it worse, and he had no idea what to do now. He let out an angry sigh and slammed his fist into a locker in pure frustration, listening to the bang echo through the empty locker room as his hand stung sharply from the blow. He kept his focus on the physical pain of his hand, trying not to think about the single thought thrashing through his head- he'd let Cas down. Again.

Castiel was staring at Dean's ceiling for a while now, not moving as he sorted out his thoughts. Michael is coming back. How was he going to get himself out of a family get together? What would happen? Will they make him leave? Will they take him away again? Should he tell Dean? Should he let Dean worry about his problems? He thought of when Dean had to take care of him when he has his attacks, no, he couldn't let Dean have to deal with more than what he's supposed to. He would have to give Dean a reason for when he has to go that day. Maybe he should talk to Dean. He stared at the white ceiling just drowning in his thoughts.

Dean was still in a foul mood when school finally ended, and it didn't improve while he was driving or getting groceries. His mind kept flipping back and forth between wanting the pummel the guy for causing all of this and beat himself for not being able to fix it at all. He wondered if Cas was waiting for a text from him, but he wanted to tell him what happened in person- even if he was dreading Cas's reaction. When he finally got home, he sat in the impala for a few moments, trying to figure out what exactly he was going to say, before he gave up and went inside. He put away the groceries and went upstairs, going into his room and managed a neutral face so that Cas wouldn't be able to see how distressed he actually was.

Castiel sat up when he heard them impala out front, he was still in jeans from when he went out but he sat up on the bed and waited for Dean. When Dean came in he had such an expressionless face that it made Castiel a bit on edge.

"Hello Dean. How was school?" he asked slowly. "I'm sorry I didn't send you a text to when I returned but I was a bit distracted." he added.

"Hey, Cas. It's okay, I don't mind." Dean replied, wondering if writing was what had distracted him but wanting to talk before he asked. He let out a sigh before starting, sitting on the bed next to Cas. "I tried talking to that guy, but I don't think it helped. As far as I can tell, it's purely for his own entertainment or something." He shook his head slightly, looking down at his feet. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine...we found out the reason at least. I suppose I'll just have to find a way to deal with him." he replied. "Thank you for trying at least." he added.

Dean knew that just trying hadn't actually helped, but he didn't say it aloud. "I'm sorry." He repeated. "I guess you didn't sit all day in my shirt?" He asked with a slight smile, trying to lift the mood a little.

"Sadly, I did not." Castiel smiled a bit. "It would have been nice but I suppose it's always better to have the real person to hold than just wearing a shirt. Do you want to come lay down with me. I've been quite lonesome." he laughed lightly.

Dean smiled slightly, still feeling guilty at not having helped Cas's situation but still extremely glad to see him. "That sounds nice. School seemed to last forever without you." He replied, moving towards the middle of the bed to lay down. "So did you get a lot of writing and stuff done? Oh yeah, and how was Gabriel?" He asked, just remembering Cas's text.

Castiel turned slightly to watch but paused for a moment when he asked. "He was well. He just talked to me about what was happening and catch me up to speed." he said. "I did get some writing done and I wrote a few pages before I left." he added, glancing at his notebooks. "It was an unproductive day for me. Did you buy all the groceries?" he asked.

"Oh, that's cool, I'm glad you got a chance to write a little." Dean replied. "And yeah, I got everything on the list- I'm pretty sure." He added with a chuckle.

"Then we'll be able to have a really nice dinner tonight." Castiel smiled. "Did you have any trouble buying anything? I listed it pretty clearly but I don't know if it was easy to decipher." he said. He scooted closer to Dean, "I missed you while you were away. Even though it was merely a few hours. We've been conjoined at the hip since I came back."

"No, it was fine. I'm pretty sure I got everything." Dean replied, wrapping his arm around Cas's shoulders. "I know what you mean. It felt a lot longer than a couple of hours, though." He said with a chuckle. "I missed you too." He added.

Castiel tucked himself under Dean's chin and just held onto him, taking a small breath in. It was nice and cozy again, so much better than being alone on their bed. He squeezed Dean closely and smiled a bit, "We talked over the phone but I guess that's not enough huh? What if I had to go back to my house, how will we deal with being separated?" he asked.

Dean gently rested his chin on Cas, thinking for a moment. "I don't really know. I mean, other couples can manage that sort of thing, but I think I would go crazy." He replied with a chuckle. It was already tough to not be able to touch Cas all through the school day, he couldn't imagine not being able to for days on end. He had no idea how he'd been able to survive those few weeks totally apart.

"I would be very touch deprived. I don't think I would stop myself from kissing you in school if that happened." Castiel told him. "I think us living together has spoiled us." he laughed lightly. "We know what's it like to sleep, eat, shower, waking up together, etc. It would be hard to go back." he said.

"Maybe we won't have to." Dean replied, shifting slightly so that he could meet Cas's eyes and smiled. "I mean, obviously we're not going to be able to spend every second of the rest of our lives together but I've been thinking, even if we go to different colleges-which I think is pretty likely- we could still rent an apartment together if the colleges were close. At first I thought it'd be pricey, but with two of us paying for one bedroom I bet it wouldn't be any more than a dorm." He told Cas animatedly, anxious to see what Cas would think of his plan. He hadn't completely thought it all through, but he figured Cas would definitely help work out the details if he liked the sound of it.

Castiel's eyes lit up, wrapping his arms around Dean's shoulders and leaning up to kiss him. "That sounds absolutely perfect Dean. That sounds amazing." he said excitedly. He was so happy that Dean would actually think of renting an apartment together with him, making a home together, living like how they were, it made him bubble with excitement. "I would love to live with you on our own. One bedroom is all we need." he smiled. He kissed Dean again, "I love you so much Dean." he laughed a little.

Dean beamed as Cas kissed him, thrilled that he liked the idea. The thought that he might not want to spend that much time with Cas or love with him through college never crossed Dean's mind; Cas was who he wanted and needed, and it was as simple as that. "I love you too. And living with you- just you- sounds amazing." He replied. "Then we won't have to worry about anyone walking in on our own little world." He chuckled.

Castiel rubbed his nose against Dean's, "Or interrupting us." he laughed a bit. "I thought things weren't over between us from this morning?" he smiled. "What were you going to continue?" he asked quietly. He was brimming with happiness and affection so everything else seemed meaningless to him and his earlier thoughts.

"Hmm, this morning, how could I have forgotten?" Dean replied with a teasing grin, pulling Cas closer. "It's been a while so I don't remember exactly what I had planned, but I'm pretty sure it was something like this..." He trailed off as he leaned forward, kissing Cas softly and lovingly for a moment before shifting suddenly to pull Cas into his lap.

Castiel leaned into Dean, following his kiss this time as he tightened his arms just slightly. Dean suddenly pulling him into his lap and he felt a hot spike of arousal shoot through him. He pulled himself as close as he could to Dean and kissed him back with a bit of urgency. He tried calming himself a bit to let Dean lead everything this time, he took control this morning.

Dean felt Cas's urgency as he pressed against Dean, as he tightened his arm around Cas's middle to keep him close. He deepened the kiss and moved his hand to the back of Cas's head, repeating Cas's roughness from that morning more slowly.

Castiel moaned, his mind blanking out a bit as he kissed Dean. He just took Dean's kiss, trying to keep up but it was intoxicating and how it felt. He bundled the back of Dean's shirt a bit as they kissed, loving the kiss Dean was doing.

Dean felt a shiver run through him at Cas's moan, loving that he was the cause of the noise. "Mm, you've got to keep quiet." He warned softly, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips before he kissed along Cas's neck.

Castiel made a small sound at that, covering his mouth with his hand. He shivered in Dean's lap, panting a bit. "You're not fair...ah..." He squeezed his eyes closed

Dean smiled against Cas's skin, biting lightly but not leaving a mark. "I know." He replied with a grin before tracing his tongue across the bite. "But being fair isn't fun." He murmured, lifting his head to catch Cas's lips with his own again.

Castiel bit his lip a little, trying not to make sounds. He shivered again in Dean's lap before he kissed him again, he moved his hands into Dean's hair and tugged. He kissed Dean roughly, moving his legs more comfortable around Dean and scooting closer.

Dean hummed slightly in pleasure as Cas pulled at his hair, Cas's roughness stirring his arousal. He wrapped his hand across the small of Cas's back, keeping him close as Dean moved along with Cas's lips.

Castiel broke the kiss after a few moments, licking his lips. He panted a bit, looking him a bit dazed with a blush on his cheeks from the kissing. He kissed the side of Dean's jaw to his ear where he lightly nibbled and licked the rim. "Dean..." He said softly.

Dean tilted his head slightly as Cas kissed him, leaning into the feeling. He turned a little so that he could look at Cas out of the corner of his eye. "Mm?" He responded, ducking his head to kiss just below Cas's jaw.

"You're making it so hard to be quiet..." Castiel breathed out, tilting his head to the side a bit subconsciously. He shivered a little, holding onto him.

"Am I?" Dean asked with a smirk, licking the shell of his ear and sucking lightly on the lobe. "You're doing such a good job though." He replied mischievously, kissing the corner of his jaw again.

Castiel made a small sound in the back of his throat, "Doesn't mean it's not hard to do..." He clutched his shirt. He swallowed a bit, opening his eyes a bit. "You're teasing me..." He murmured. "It's always difficult to be quiet with you..."

"I'm not teasing you," Dean protested lightly, making his way down Cas's neck with intermittent kisses. "I'm just kissing you." He continued with a smile. "And biting." He added, nipping the skin above Cas's collarbone in demonstration. "It's hard to resist you." He murmured, lifting his head and kissing Cas's lips again.

Castiel was panting, occasionally covering his mouth to moan as Dean kissed his neck. They felt so good and he could only suppress the moans a little before he would forget and have to try again. He kissed Dean back eagerly, able to keep quieter than before. He squeezed Dean closely, not able to resist wanting to continue even though he knew he would struggle to be quiet.

Dean smiled slightly against him at Cas's eagerness, knowing how hard it was for him to keep quiet. A gag wouldn't be an option for a while until Cas was more comfortable with everything, but Dean wanted to see how far Cas could make it before he got too loud. He tugged on Cas's lower lip, pressing up against him and slipping his hand under the hem of his shirt to trace against his skin.

Castiel squeezed his eyes shut, trying to focus on the kissing. He panted a bit against Dean's lips before taking in another kiss to keep himself occupied. He shivered in Dean's lap, feeling little bubbles of pleasure. He held onto Dean tightly, remembering to keep quiet.

Dean broke off their kiss long enough to pull Cas's shirt up in one smooth motion. He traced his fingertips across Cas's skin before moving to bite below his collarbone, sucking on the skin and licking it after to leave a small mark.

"Mmm." Castiel pressed his lips together and let out a small breath. He arched at the touch, clutching onto Dean's arms.

Dean smiled and moved up to kiss Cas's lips again as he felt Cas arch up, deciding to help him stay quiet as he traced light circles around his nipples. He deepened the kiss just as he twisted the skin slightly between his fingers, wanting to see how Cas handled it before he would break off the kiss again.

Castiel gratefully kissed Dean back, running his fingers into his hair and gasping. He made small noises in his mouth as they kissed. He took a really sharp intake when Dean twisted his nipples and he moaned into Dean's mouth. He swallowed continuously, trying to keep it together.

Dean moved against Cas, every muffled noise sending spikes of pleasure and arousal through him. He broke off of the kiss and steadied his hands, resting one on the small of Cas's back. He ducked down to suck lightly at his nipple, tracing his tongue across.

One of Castiel's hand flew over his mouth as he squeeze his eyes shut, arching back. His hand clutched Dean's shoulder and he muffled his moan. He panted through his hand, it was so difficult to be quiet. He had to think about being quiet and it was hard to think in general. He wondered slightly how Dean was able to keep so quiet when he was teasing him because this took a lot of sheer willpower.

Dean moved his lips to the other side, sucking lightly and humming in pleasure as Cas arched against him. He pulled back and raised his head to kiss just below Cas's ear. "So you think you're up for this?" He murmured, tracing light circles against Cas's back with his thumb. He wanted to be sure that Cas could stay quiet, but also that he would be comfortable doing this.

Castiel shivered above Dean, clutching his shoulder tightly. "I-I don't know how much." he swallowed. "I'll try to stay quiet but I don't...I don't know how quiet I can be or how much I can take." he told him. He didn't want to stop, it felt so good to have Dean touching him and he wanted him to touch him more.

Dean nodded slightly, moving up to kiss Cas again. "Then just let me know if you want to stop." He replied simply, meeting Cas's eyes before kissing him again. He curled his fingers into Cas's hair with one hand while he teased Cas again with the other, shifting slightly underneath him to bring Cas closer still.

Castiel didn't respond but he knew what Dean said, he leaned back into the kiss. Both his hands were resting on Dean's shoulders and they were just holding onto him. He moaned into Dean's mouth as his hand tangled into the lower hairs at the nape of his neck and just gently tugging on them.

Dean felt a shiver of pleasure run through him as Cas tugged his hair and moaned into his mouth. Dean pressed forward and skimmed around the hem of Cas's pants, making himself go slowly despite his growing want. Cas hadn't been able to much more than this last time, so Dean didn't rush as he unbuttoned them and continued kissing Cas.

Castiel felt Dean's fingers around the hem of his pants, he tensed up slightly at first but he relaxed again. The kissing was distracting him and grounding him to what was real. He was grateful that Dean was still going slow for his benefit, it was making it easier for him to go along with it. He kissed Dean back with everything and let Dean continue, he was still doing okay.

Dean raised his hand to cup Cas's cheek as he worked with his other to pull Cas's pants, occasionally pausing to just brush across his skin. He wanted to run his hands across every inch of Cas's skin, to erase every bad memory with pleasure, but he knew that wasn't how it worked. Instead, he stroked his thumb across Cas's cheek and shifted underneath him to let Cas be the one to take them fully off

Castiel leaned his head against Dean's touch as he kissed him. He could feel Dean slowly push off his pants and he felt a stab of fear for a moment. He slowly opened his eyes to see those sandy freckles and short blond hair. He felt himself relax a bit, it's just Dean. It's just Dean. He told himself as he kissed him. He felt him stop and he was slightly confused on why, but he understood after a few moments of collecting his thoughts. He was happy that Dean was thinking so much about him, he shifted himself around a bit to pull off the pants and he settled back in Dean's lap, basically naked as Dean was still clothed.

Dean hesitated slightly when Cas didn't move, but relaxed again when he moved to take off his pants. He was still nervous that he was going to do something to trigger an attack or something, but he had to trust that Cas would stop him if he started doing anything that might. He trailed his fingers down Cas's chest before briefly breaking off the kiss to pull off his own shirt, leaning in again to kiss Cas as he pulled of the button of his pants and shimmied slightly out of them.

Castiel leaned against his touch, before his eyes roamed over Dean's torso and kissing him again. His hands lightly touched Dean's chest, just touching and feeling everything. His fingers lightly traced around as he put the thought in his mind. He shifted a bit to let Dean get out of his pants and resettled back in his lap and pulled him closer to press their skin together. Dean was so warm and it was really calming. He gently licked Dean's lips before he went back to kissing Dean.

Dean pressed against Cas, wrapping his arm around Cas to keep them together and gently scratching his nails against Cas's back. He shifted slightly underneath Cas, the feel of their warm skin pressed together sending a shiver down his bare back. He curled his hand into Cas's hair and moved to kiss along his neck again, desperate to taste and feel every part of him.

Castiel arched at the touch, biting his lip to stop moaning. He held onto Dean's arms again, panting a bit as he tried to keep his moans in. His hands moved from Dean's arms to his back, running his hands up and down it to feel the ridges of his spine. He leaned forward and kissed Dean's neck, trailing kisses down his collarbone and lightly nip at it. He bit a few marks on Dean and licked them over softly.

Dean left out a breath of pleasure, stifling a moan. He rocked slightly beneath Cas, running his hand down Cas's side and along his leg until it rested on his thigh. He could hear Cas struggling to keep quiet, and his panting stirred his arousal.

Castiel whined in the back of his throat, it felt good for Dean to rub against him. He tipped his head forward and rested it against Dean's forehead. He had his eyes closed as he tried really hard to keep quiet but it was so difficult. He rocked his hips a little against Dean, opening his eyes slightly to look at Dean to reassure himself.

Dean rocked against Cas's movements slightly, sucking on his neck without leaving a lasting mark. He slid his hand along to Cas's inner thigh, slowly inching upwards and trailing his fingers against Cas's skin. He paused slightly before lightly rocking his hand against Cas.

Castiel was trying not to make all the his sounds, he kept him mouth shut and squeezed his eyes. He covered his mouth with his hand to muffle it some more, feeling Dean's hand slowly coming up his leg. He felt a run of fear run through him and he slowly reopened his eyes to look at Dean. His eyes were dark and Dean eyes reflected the same. He moaned through his hand, seeing Dean and feeling him rub against him.

Dean swallowed when he met Cas's eyes, the dark look of want sending a spike of arousal through him. He bit Cas's shoulder lightly as he rolled his hips into him, rocking his hand against Cas before slipping his hand inside his waistband and stroking him lightly.

Castiel's hands flew up to Dean's face and held it, he tapped his cheeks with both his hands as he rested his forehead against Dean's. He slowly breathed in and out, it was definitely different to have him actually touching. "Break please..." he said softly.

Dean stopped immediately, moving his hand away to rest on Cas's leg again instead. "Sorry. You okay?" He asked, watching Cas with concern as he realized he should have gone slower before actually touching him.

Castiel nodded slightly, resting his forehead against Dean's. "Just breathing..." he said softly. "It's better but I still have to...take breaks." he swallowed a bit. He felt himself calming down a bit, hearing Dean talk.

"Okay, take all the time you want." Dean replied soothingly, still watching Cas. He already seemed to be calming down, but he wasn't going to push it. He simply stayed still under Cas, letting him catch his breath.

Castiel gently stroked his thumbs across Dean's cheeks. "I've gotten a bit better haven't I?" he asked softly. "It...it wasn't bad but us touching skin...I wasn't prepared yet." he told him

"Yeah, you've definitely gotten better." Dean replied. "But sorry about that, I shouldn't have done that so quickly." He apologized, glad that Cas was okay but still feeling some guilt at having caused this.

Castiel shook his head slightly. "It's okay. I didn't stop you because I wanted to see if I could do it...I'm just not ready yet." he told him. "It's better but I still need time. I hope you're not upset with that..." he glanced at Dean.

"No, it's fine, really." Dean replied. "Of course I'm not upset." He said reassuringly. It was admittedly a little disappointing, but Dean was much more concerned with Cas's well being than having sex.

Castiel sighed softly, glancing down at how they were. He glanced up at Dean again before shifting his hips a little so they were directly over his. He rolled his hips down, grinding against him. He let out a pleased breath, "No skin, didn't mean this wasn't okay..." he said.

Dean let out a sharp breath, not expecting the movement but enjoying it nonetheless. "No skin, I can do that." He murmured in response, rolling his hips up against Cas's to get more friction between them.

Castiel tipped his head back, panting a bit. He bit his lip a little to keep himself from moaning. He slid his fingers into Dean's hair and leaned forward and kissed him again as he rolled his hips. He made small sounds in Dean's mouth, enjoying that they can at least do this.

Dean moaned softly at the tantalizing feeling of Cas grinding against him and the sound of his muffled moans. It was a teasing sort of pleasure that made him want more, and he tightened his arm around Cas slightly as they kissed.

Castiel rocked his hips back and forth against Dean, it felt good to relieve some pressure. He kept kissing Dean to be quiet, moaning in his mouth.

Dean arched up into Cas, threading his fingers through his hair as he pressed their skin together. The rocking was relieving the ache but at the same time he was desperate for more, though he knew Cas was doing what he was okay with.

Castiel gently nipped at Dean's lip, licking it softly. He panted a bit, kissing Dean softly again. "You can go shower if you wish. Or take care of yourself...I don't mind." He said softly. "I know it's frustrating to be in the opposite end." He gently kissed Dean's face.

Dean kissed him softly before replying, resting his hand on Cas's shoulder. "It's okay, I don't mind. There's no rush." He said, though he would probably want to take Cas's offer to go take a shower. It was a little frustrating, but he didn't mind if it was for Cas.

Castiel looked at him, he gently stroked Dean's cheek. He smiled sadly, "It'll get better then we can. I miss the intimacy but there's not much we can do about it." He sighed a bit. "I think you should go shower so you're not uncomfortable." He said.

"Yeah, okay." Dean replied, kissing Cas again before shifting him so that he was sitting on the bed. "I know you probably wouldn't want to join me, but the offer's always there." He added with a smile before he stood up, stretching his legs a little after having Cas on his lap before grabbing some clothes and walking towards the bathroom.

Castiel watched Dean get up and go. He sat on the bed, sighing softly. He looked at the door, contemplating if he wanted to come shower with Dean or not. Would he be okay? He was rationalizing the situation, he sat there for a moment. Maybe if he got more comfortable with Dean seeing him then it'll be easier but he also thought against it because he would then want to touch Dean and that would run on like it did earlier, once they touched it was kind of hard to stop. He sighed softly.

Dean walked into the bathroom and closed the door, turning on the water and waiting for a few moments before he stripped down completely and got in. He wasn't really expecting Cas to come, but he had admittedly been hoping. He let the water run over him, wishing he had some way to fix it all.

Castiel heard the water run and he bit his lip a little before getting out of bed and grabbing some clothes and wandering into the bathroom quietly. He glanced in to see Dean already in the shower. He slowly stepped in and closed the door, "Dean... May I join you?" He asked first. "I think it'll be easier if I became more comfortable with our skin touching. Or you seeing me." He said.

Dean jumped slightly, not having heard Cas come in and not expecting it. He smiled, stepping back slightly to give Cas space to get in. "Of course, come on in." He invited with a chuckle. Cas seemed a little uncertain, but Dean was hoping that he was right- that this would help him to be more comfortable.

Castiel stripped off his remaining clothes and slowly stepped toward the shower. He took a small breath in before going in, "Do you think you can face away at first?" He asked. "I...I have to get used to it." He said.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Dean replied, doing as Cas said and turning to face the wall of the shower. He was really hoping this went well and that Cas got more comfortable. He'd been doing really well earlier, which Dean thought was promising. "Just let me know what you want me to do to help you out." He added, keeping his eyes fixed on the tiles of the wall.

Castiel stepped in after, glancing at Dean. He took a breath in, he never got over at how Dean looks and he immediately wanted to touch. To just feel but he didn't want to start an attack and Dean thinking it was his fault. He slowly breathed out and stepped more into the shower and into the water. It gently washed over him and he didn't say anything yet he gently reached out and touched Dean's back, unable to resist not touching. "You're so... breathtaking." He said softly.

Dean heard Cas get in behind him, waiting patiently. He wasn't expecting the delicate touch against his back, and a slight shiver ran up his spine. His first thought was to turn around and kiss Cas in response to his soft words, but he stayed how he was and could practically feel Cas's gaze against his bare back. He didn't know what to say- he'd always known that he was attractive, but he'd never heard someone call him breathtaking or in such a loving way.

Castiel traced his fingers across his shoulders and over the freckles before touching the ridges of his back. He let out a really slow breath, resting his fingers on the small of his back before moving gently onto his side and resting them there as he rubbed his thumb across the skin.

"I just always get so drawn in. That I can't look away... the planes of your back, your shoulders, the freckles that are on your skin. They're so captivating. It never ceases to make me stop and just admire you..." He told him.

Dean let out a soft breath, closing his eyes as he felt Cas's fingers trace across his skin. "You always make me sound so special." He murmured in response, glancing down at Cas's hands instead of turning to look at him.

"I'm only saying what is right. You are special." Castiel replied easily. "I don't exaggerate nor make things up, I merely tell you what I think and what I see." he stepped a bit closer to Dean, sliding his hands more into his sides and standing closely but not yet touching him except with his arms. "To me...You're very beautiful Dean. That may sound like a compliment to a female but you are. The creative mind in me yearns to capture your essences and write it out, to be able to write everything where someone can read and know what I see. If I drew, you would make me want to draw every line and plane perfectly but even then it would not have the same feel as when you actually smile. If I took your picture it would capture the beauty of your smile but it would not do you justice than seeing you physically. I am always captured by how you look, the way you react, the way you smile, the way you laugh. If I could ever capture how beautiful they are and put it together, it would never be the same as you actually being there, nothing falls in comparison. If I bottled each of them up and sold them, I would be a millionaire but I would give that up if I could have you as a whole." he rested his forehead on Dean's shoulder. "Nothing compares than actually seeing you."

Dean felt a flutter of love wash over him at Cas's explanation. He knew that Cas was being completely honest, that he really felt that way, and it seemed incredible that Cas could see him in that way. "If you weren't you, I wouldn't believe everything you're saying. But it /is/ you and... I love you. I love that you can see that in me, even though I definitely can't see it in myself." He replied softly.

"I wish you could...Then you would know exactly why I love you so much." Castiel placed a kiss to his shoulder and gently pulled Dean closer and under the water with him and standing there with his chest touching Dean. "I'm glad that it is because I am me you believe it. That I am able to make you believe that they are true. I like being that person." he added as he held onto him.

"I'm glad you're that person too." Dean replied softly, smiling and resting his hands over Cas's as he moved under the water with Cas. "And I hope I'm that person for you too- the one that can help you realize how incredible you really are."

"Of course Dean." Castiel smiled, continuing to rest again Dean. "I feel like I have stopped you from showering. Don't mind me. You may continue your shower." he told him. "I think I'm more relaxed now, hugging you now. I think it would be okay if you faced me." he added.

Dean smiled and turned around in his arms slowly, meeting Cas's eyes. "Mm, you're definitely making the shower better, even if it's taking longer." He replied with a grin as he reached around him to get the the shampoo.

Castiel let out another slow breath, looking at Dean's eyes. He felt better, he was more relaxed. The times he had been in the shower it was always torturous to him and he always got out as quickly as he can. He smiled softly at Dean, he felt okay for now but didn't press to close to Dean, still being cautious about the boundaries. He gently reached up and stroked through his wet hair and pushed it back to look at Dean properly, "This shower is more pleasant than my own ones." he said.

"This is a lot better than my showers too." Dean replied with a smile. He ran his hands through his hair with the shampoo, lathering it up and styling it up. "I'm carrying on with my shower." He said in explanation, chuckling. "Need to wash your hair?" He offered, wanting to ask before touching Cas's hair.

Castiel laughed a bit at Dean, seeing his hair styled up and foamy. "I now know how you shower alone now." he said. He glanced at Dean, thinking about it for a moment. He nodded, "That would be nice." he agreed. "I think I want to have you style my hair as well." he smiled.

"Yep, now you know exactly what I do in here." Dean replied with a grin. He ran his hands through Cas's hair a few times before he spiked it all up on his head. He stepped back slightly and grinned, admiring his styling. "You should definitely wear it like that all the time." He joked.

"Yeah? Do I look cool?" Castiel laughed. He could feel his hair sticking up. "I would have to put gel in my hair more often if I style it and then more showers. That's a lot of work." He complained with a smile. "I wouldn't want to do that." he said.

"That's alright, I like your normal hair anyway." Dean replied with a smile, slick in Cas's hair down again. "Then again, more showers wouldn't be so bad." He added with a grin, rinsing his hands under the water again.

"We would be using a lot of water and shampoo, which is a waste of money if we do it more than necessary." Castiel laughed a bit. "What is my normal hair to you? To me it is just disarrayed and helpless." he said. "Do you wish to wash your hair first or me?" he asked.

"It's a little messy, but I like that." Dean replied with a smile. "I wouldn't call it helpless. And you can rinse first if you want." He added, moving slightly to allow Cas to step user the water.

"You like messy hair? Odd choice." Castiel laughed a little. He stepped under the water and tipped his head back, he felt the suds running out of his hair and he occasionally peeked his eyes open to see Dean. He was reassuring himself and eventually all the suds washed out. "Your turn." he said softly, stepping back for Dean.

"I like /your/ messy hair." Dean corrected with a grin, taking Cas's place under the water. He leaned back and ruffled his hair with his hands to get all the shampoo out before standing up straight again. "So you think the shower helped you?" He asked.

Castiel nodded slightly, "Yeah, I am a bit more comfortable with being bare in front of you. Touching is also a bit better, not fully but it it better." he said. He stepped closer to Dean again, still standing apart but closer. He gently reached out to touch Dean's chest, "Hands or okay with my but skin against skin, I'm not fully ready yet." he told him.

"That's good- any progress is." Dean replied with a smile, glancing down at Cas's hand. He didn't move any closer, letting Cas set the space between them, and he rested his hand on Cas's shoulder.

"Think we should get out of the shower now? We've been in here for a long time." Castiel laughed a little. "We might get wrinkles in our skin from being in here." he said.

Dean chuckled and nodded, reaching over to turn off the water. "Yeah, I guess so." He replied, reaching out to grab a couple of towels. He handed one to Cas before stepping out, toweling himself off and drying his hair before wrapping it around his hips.

"Thank you." Castiel replied, taking the towel and drying himself off. He dried off his hair and wrapped his towel more around his waist and slowly stepping out. "Do you think we should cook dinner after or cuddling?" he laughed a little.

Dean glanced over at him and smiled, thinking for a second. "Cuddling sounds nice, but I am getting kind of hungry. How long do you think it'll take to make dinner?" He asked, stooping down to pick up his clothes.

"I think it would be a good idea to start on dinner then. You will be hungry by the time we're done." Castiel told him. He gathered his clothes and slowly started putting on his cleaner ones. He toweled off his hair one last time before looking back at Dean, "Coming to help Assistant chef?" he smiled.

"Of course, head chef." Dean replied as he pulled on his clean clothes and grinned up at Cas. He mussed his hair with his hand as he followed Cas downstairs, starting to pull out the things he'd gotten from the store once they were in the kitchen.

Castiel smiled, rummaging through he groceries. "Thank you. You got everything correctly." he said. He slowly started pulling out pans and pots as he took the ingredients to wash. He washed them all and set them aside. "Can you cut these red potatoes for me please Dean?" he asked. "Then these vegetables if you may. I'm going to start the fish and shrimps." he told him. He set up a pot of water and a pan. He moved about in the kitchen and waited for the water to boil before putting the shrimps in. He was marinating the fish for when he cooks them. He hummed softly, watching the shrimps as he did so. He set up a colander for when the shrimp started to cook and pouring them out. "It's been a while since I last cooked." he commented. "I missed it." he added.

"No problem." Dean replied, walking over to get the potatoes and beginning to cut them as Cas had asked. "It's been a while since I ate a meal that you cooked- I miss that." He replied with a chuckle. "Actually, I kind of missed cooking with you too. Even though I don't do a whole lot, it's nice." He added.

"You are very helpful in the kitchen Dean. The small things count for the whole of it all." Castiel told him. "I missed cooking as well as you cooking with me. It is nice to have us doing it together again." he smiled. He poured out the shrimps before starting up a pan to cook the fish. He hummed softly, "It'll all be really nice once we put it together. This is the first time I've cooked fish for you and everyone." he said.

"Well, if it's as good as everything else you make, I'm sure it'll be awesome." Dean replied with a smile, finishing the potatoes and moving over to cut the vegetables. Cooking with Cas was always relaxing and comfortable, and having something delicious to eat when they were done was also a nice touch.

Castiel laughed lightly, "I was actually kind of nervous you didn't enjoy seafood." he said. "You didn't seem like the type." he added. "May I take the potatoes if you're done?" he asked, having a pot of water already ready.

"Oh yeah, sure." Dean replied, scooting the potatoes together before handing them to Cas. "I've never really had real seafood, unless you count fried stuff. Plus, I always like what you make, so I figure I'll like this too." He said with a shrug, cutting the last few vegetables.

Castiel put the potatoes into the pot and let them boil, he set up another pan for the shrimps as he put a lid over the fish. "Fried is never the same, grilled, charcoal, steamed, etc. They are much better in taste in my opinion. Also healthier." he added with a small smile. "I hope you like what I make, but if you don't that's fine. I'm not going to mad if you don't eat it."

Dean smiled, watching Cas cook. "Good to know you won't make me eat it if I don't like it." He replied with a chuckle. "But we'll just have to see- everything you've made so far has been good." He said, feeling pretty confident that he would like it. It was starting to smell pretty good, at least.

"If you're done with cutting those vegetables, you can set them aside. I don't have enough room for another pan." Castiel laughed a little. "And yes, there's no point in making someone eating something they don't like. They won't like it when they start so why would they when they finish?" he asked. "It should be done, not long from now so it'll be okay." he said.

Dean moved the vegetables aside, leaning against the counter to watch Cas and be out of the way. "Sounds good, I'm starting to get really hungry." He replied. "If we wait long enough, I'll eat anything you put in front of me." He joked.

"I'm hoping you won't devour the food then. It's nice to taste the food before you gorge on it." Castiel told him. He seasoned the shrimp as he stirred them around to cook them more and put a lid on them. He poured out the water for the potatoes and looked over at Dean. "Care to help me mash these potatoes and add a few things?" he asked.

"Hey, I've gotten better about savoring food. Now that you make good food, it's really nice to actually taste it instead of inhaling everything." Dean replied with a laugh, moving over to start mashing the potatoes and adding everything they'd need.

Castiel laughed, "That makes me happy that you think that." he said. He had moved the fish around a bit and set up another pan to steam the vegetables. He was done with cooking everything and the vegetables should be done soon. "So I think we're finally done. We can go get everyone now." he said.

Dean nodded and grabbed plates and utensils for everyone before sticking his head out of the kitchen. "Sam, Bobby, dinner!" He called up before he went back to stand by Cas in case he wanted help serving. Bobby came down the stairs a few moments later.

Sam trailed in after as Cas was putting out the fish on each plate and shrimps. He hummed softly and put a few final touches on it and side of lemons. He gestured to the mostly empty plates, "Take your fill and put as much as you want on." he said. He looked really happy on how it came out.

Sam smiled, "Thanks guys, it looks great." he said. He took a plate and put a bit of mash potatoes and vegetables on it before he sat down.

"Sam's right, it looks really good." Bobby commented, taking a plate and putting on the sides before going to sit down as well.

Dean got his plate next, loading it up with food before walking to the table and sitting down. He took a bite of fish, nervous at first that he wouldn't like it, but was relieved that it tasted pretty good. "Mm, this is really good, Cas." He complimented.

Castiel was the last to take the rest and sat down, "Really? I'm so happy you like it." he smiled.

Sam nodded, eating pieces of the food. "We never had real seafood in this house. I'm actually really glad you made this. I've been slacking on my diet lately." he laughed a bit.

Castiel laughed lightly, "I suppose this is a good way to pick it back up. I'm happy you guys don't mind it, I was nervous it would turn out bad." he said.

"No, it's really good." Bobby replied between bites.

"Just like everything you make." Dean added with a chuckle. The fish wasn't his favorite dish that Cas had made, but it was still tasty and he was enjoying it.

"You guys flatter me." Castiel blushed a little, eating a bit. He was easily picking away at the food as they talked.

"So are you going back to school tomorrow Cas?" Sam asked.

"I think...I should. There's not much choice I can make." Castiel replied. "I can't miss many days." he told him. "I'm a bit nervous to go back but there's not much I can do about it." he added.

Dean glanced up, that afternoon's events rushing back to him. He managed to push his failure to sort things out to the back of his mind, but now the guilt was back. "It's not gonna be nice though. My talk with the guy didn't exactly work out." He said, suppressing a sigh. "We'll have to figure something else out."

"So what happened?" Sam asked. "What are you guys going to do now?" he added.

Castiel played with his fork a little, moving it around. "I don't know. I just have to deal with it I suppose. I will have to get better at not having an attack." he said.

"Isn't there a way to avoid gym? Can't you do something in place of it?" Sam asked.

"I'm not actually sure if your school allows that. Does it?" Cas asked.

Dean thought for a moment and shrugged. "I dunno, I've never asked about that sort of thing. Maybe you could substitute gym with your gymnastics or something." He said, hoping it would be possible to do. It would definitely make things a lot easier for them.

"Maybe we should ask." Castiel glanced at Dean. "If it's possible in our school to do so, then it would save us the trouble right? But I don't think I want to leave you alone if you said that guy hates you. I don't want you to be hurt Dean." he added.

Sam looked at them, "I'm sure Dean can hold his own, plus if this kid tries to start a fight, it's technically self defense if Dean hits him back." he said.

Dean nodded in agreement with Sam. "Yeah, I can take care of myself- I'll be fine. It's more important that we get you out of there if we can." He replied. He'd much rather deal with the dickbag himself than let him bully Cas again.

Castiel nodded slightly, "Okay...I suppose we'll have to try tomorrow, but I still have to face him regardless tomorrow even if it did work. Where would I go if I didn't go? The nurse?" he asked.

Sam shrugged, "You could. Just say you have a stomach ache and just go there and lay down until gym is over." he said.

"Do they actually allow you to do that?" Castiel asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure they do." Sam nodded.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure the nurse will let you. You probably won't be able to get away with it too often, but hopefully they can switch it and do it quickly." Dean replied. It was going to be sort of odd without Cas in gym, but at least he'd be safe.

"That would be nice. I would be a little sad we won't be spending gym together but then again, we come home together." Castiel glanced at Dean, smiling a little. "That sounds like a plan." he added.

Sam glanced at them, "See problem solved. At least you tried doing it the nice way first Dean and going the higher route than beating him up." he said.

Castiel smiled at that, "I am very proud that Dean didn't hurt him. That he didn't stoop down to his level." he said proudly.

Dean felt a stab of guilt at Cas's proud smile- he'd been more than willing to hurt the guy, despite telling Cas he wouldn't, but then /he/ didn't stoop to Dean's level. "Yeah, no one got hurt." He replied noncommittally, smiling slightly. He couldn't bear to to disappoint Cas like that.

Sam looked at Dean, sighing a little. He knew a bit better than Cas on what Dean was like when he was mad and probably what happened is not how Dean probably explained it. He wouldn't say anything though, it wasn't his place to tell.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "I was half expecting you to actually not listen to me. I wouldn't have been mad, a little sad if you were hurt but not exactly mad. I'm happy you chose not to engage in a fight Dean. I wouldn't want you to be in trouble." he told him.

Dean winced internally, feeling completely terrible. He glanced over at Sam and Bobby, knowing they knew better than Cas, but realizing they wouldn't say anything. And yet, he couldn't just lie to Cas; it was already almost painful. "Well, uh, I didn't fight him, but I didn't exactly try not to. I mean, if I really thought that was the only way to get him to leave you alone, I would have. But I didn't." He explained hastily, hoping that Cas wouldn't be upset that he had been prepared to fight him.

Castiel let out a soft breath before smiling at Dean. "I'm proud of you, even if you would have been drawn in. You made the choice of talking first and not hitting him right when you saw him. That's all I asked. I was hoping he didn't provoke you because you would have beaten him up and I would not defend him and saying you were wrong to do so. I'm very proud of you Dean." he told him. "Also, you have bruises on your knuckles. I was wondering when you were going to tell me what really happened." he added.

"Oh." Dean glanced down at his hand. He hadn't noticed the bruises that had formed, though his hand was still sore now that he remembered it. "Right. When the guy left he was all smug and- well, I punched a locker. But it wasn't him." Dean explained sheepishly.

Bobby arched a brow. "You're lucky you didn't hurt yourself."

"I'll tend to it after we finish okay?" Castiel looked at him. "Be careful next time. Bobby is right, you could have been really hurt for doing that and it's only effecting you." he added.

Sam looked at Dean, "Jesus. Did he really make you that mad?" he asked. "Punching a locker? I'm surprised you didn't punch him." he added.

"Thanks Cas." Dean replied, feeling better now. "And trust me, I was tempted to hit the guy. He's a serious bag of dicks. But I didn't." He said, just the thought of how smug he was making his temper flare. "So I punched the locker instead. I needed to get my anger out somehow." He added with a shrug.

"Yes well, I'm glad you didn't but don't hurt yourself." Castiel looked at him. "I'll wrap your hands after and treat it." he said. "Do you have a first aid kit?" he asked.

Sam nodded, "Yeah, it's in the top cabinet. I'll go grab it." he said as he got up with his plate to put away and grabbing the first aid kit. "Here." he gave it to Cas.

"Thank you." Castiel replied.

"I'm going to go if you're going to be treating his hand, I don't want to be here for when you guys go back into your small little world." Sam laughed a bit before walking upstairs. "Good luck tomorrow." he added.

"Yeah, I don't think I want to be here for this. Be careful, try not to punch any more lockers." Bobby said, leaving a little after Sam.

Dean watched them go and rolled his eyes. "They're so squeamish." He joked. "But really, my hand's not that bad. It doesn't even hurt that much anymore." He said, though he knew Cas wouldn't pay much attention to it.

"Just because it doesn't hurt doesn't mean it can't be treated." Castiel gently took his hand and looked at them. He opened up the first aid kit and gently rubbed ointment on the little nicks and cut of the broken skin. He put a little band-aid over them before wrapping up his hand a little to keep his fingers from moving too much. He gently raised Dean's hand and kissed his knuckles. "I'm proud of you Dean, but don't hurt yourself." he said softly.

Dean watched Cas patch up his hand, smiling as Cas kissed his knuckles. "Sorry. I just kind of snapped- I needed to hit something. Next time I'll find something softer." He replied with a slight smile, glancing up from their hands to meet Cas's eyes.

"If you can hold your anger for that long, then please do so." Castiel smiled at him. "It makes me happy that you are mad for me, is that wrong?" he asked. "I feel happy that would would want to beat someone up because of me but also not because I don't normally condemn violence." he said.

"Really?" Dean asked with a grin. "I don't think that's bad, I think that's nice. I'm glad you don't mind me being all overprotective and stuff." He replied. "I'll try to be better about not being as violent, but I'll always get mad and protective over you."

Castiel felt a soft flutter in his heart, he had never been so cared for like Dean cared for him. "I don't mind you being overprotective. I really, really appreciate it. It's really sweet of you. I would be grateful if you did that for me." he said softly. "I'm very proud of you today Dean." he added.

"Thanks, Cas." Dean replied quietly, "I felt like I failed you since I couldn't get him to not bully you." He admitted. "I would've done anything, violence or not, to keep you safe, but he just didn't listen." He sighed, glancing back up at Cas. "So hopefully you can get out of gym."

"You didn't fail me Dean. I have just asked you not to use violence and you did do that. I didn't think that you asking would make much a difference. If it were true it would have happened a long time ago if we just asked." Castiel told him. "You're amazing Dean. I don't know what I would do without you. You make me feel so special. So protected. And don't you dare say that you have let me down because that is not true." he said before leaning over and kissing Dean on the cheek and resting his forehead against his. "You telling me you would do whatever to keep me safe is the nicest thing you can say to me." he said softly.

Dean smiled softly and closed his eyes, resting his forehead against Cas's and thinking about what he'd said. "Well, it's the truth. I'll do anything for you." He replied, opening his eyes again to meet Cas's. "You're absolutely amazing. I need you too, and I'll do whatever I can to keep you safe and happy."

Castiel smiled, gently reaching up and touching Dean's cheek and stroking it with his thumb before leaning in and kissing him. It was a soft and sweet kiss that slowly melted into a loving and languid deep kiss. They kissed for a bit, until they were breathless. He slowly broke the kiss, staying close to Dean. "As will I for you...I hope that I can make you happy as well." he breathed out.

Dean leaned into the kiss lightly, his eyes opening to meet Cas's when he pulled away. "You do." He replied simply and sincerely, his breathing steadying from the kiss. "You make me happier than anything else." He murmured, laying his bandaged hand on top of Cas's and curling his fingers around Cas's hand.

Castiel laughed a little in pure happiness and gently leaned forward again as his thumb stroked Dean's face. He pulled him into a kiss just like the one before. He slid a hand into Dean's hair and ran his fingers through it. They broke apart again after a few moments, "Just like this morning huh..?" he asked breathlessly.

"Mm." Dean hummed in agreement, savoring the feel of the kiss before he opened his eyes again. "Just like this morning, except better because you're not going to send me off to school." He replied with a smile, wishing he could keep this feeling and closeness forever.

Castiel laughed a bit, "I could be sending you off to bed." he said. "Come on. Let's go ready for bed. I want to cuddle with you instead of sitting with you." he smiled.

"Sending me off to bed is better- at least I get to be close to you. And sleep, eventually. Those are both better than school." Dean replied with a laugh before he stood, keeping his hand around Cas's as they went upstairs to his bedroom.

Castiel followed Dean with a soft smile, He slowly stepped in the room after and closed the door behind them. He leaned up and gave Dean a kiss on the cheek before pulling his hand away and going to the bathroom first. He came out not long after and putting his jeans aside. "Your turn." he smiled. He slowly crawled into bed and curled in the blankets.

Dean smiled and went into the bathroom, coming back out a few moments later and crawling onto the bed beside Cas. He plopped down next to him and pulled the blankets up before scooting closer to Cas. "My bed's a lot more comfortable with you in it." He smiled, settling in against him.

Castiel laughed lightly, moving a bit closer and draping his arm around Dean. "I'm glad I make your bed comfy. You make sleeping a lot more enjoyable." He smiled

"You make everything a lot more enjoyable." Dean replied with a smile before grinning more widely. "Okay, I think I've been cheesy enough for one day." He added with a chuckle. Everything had backfired today, but Cas was somehow still proud of him. It made Dean smile and lean forward to kiss Cas's forehead, relieved that Cas hadn't been upset after he'd told the truth.

Castiel smiled, snuggling closer to Dean. "Thank you for telling me the truth today. I'm glad you did even though you might not have wanted to." he told him. "I also enjoy you being cheesy, it's incredibly endearing and adorable." he laughed softly.

"Yeah, just don't tell anyone else how corny I am." Dean replied, chuckling. "Even though I thought you'd be upset, I don't think I could have lied to you. Seeing you so happy and proud of me was already making me feel really guilty." He admitted.

Castiel grinned, nuzzling into Dean. "I'm actually happy I have that effect on you. That you would feel bad if you lied to me." he said. "I promise not to tell anyone, but I think people already know." he added.

"You have all kinds of effects on me. I get protective, jealous, guilty- I've never been this emotional over someone." Dean replied. "But I like it, since I don't want to lie to you anyway. And hey, people think I'm tough." He protested with a grin.

Castiel leaned up and kissed his jaw, "I don't like lying in general so I would not think I would want to lie to you. And I believe people think you are intimidating." he said. "You have a big effect on me, I have never been this emotional as well. I have never thought I would cry, be jealous, be so worried, so many new things for me and I get to experience them with you." he smiled.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Dean replied, thinking for a moment before smiling. "Remember when that girl was flirting with you on your first day, and I told you about relationships and stuff?" He grinned at the memory. "I always assumed I'd just have the physical kinds- but I definitely like having both sides more."

Castiel smiled, he remembered everything that he ever went through with Dean. He leaned up again, reaching up and touching Dean's cheek and kissing him softly. "I love you Dean." he said quietly. He knew they could easily fall into any conversation of affection and the feelings are always the same.

Dean returned the kiss and smiled, meeting Cas's eyes again and leaning slightly into the touch of his hand on his cheek. "I love you too." He replied softly.

Castiel let out a content breath and just took in their silence after that. He pressed his face closely to Dean again and closed his eyes. "Goodnight Dean." he said softly.

Dean settled in and sighed happily, closing his eyes. "G'night, Cas." He replied, slipping easily into a contented sleep.


	17. First Day of Snow!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School is finally over and it's winter break! The gang gets to spend break together and it's the first day of snow!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this story is going to be broken up into three parts since it has a lot of chapters, but I hope you guys are okay with that. I don't want to be like oh here 60 chapters. No, it should be about 20 chapters each section. So yeah, lots of chapters. Okay, fluff fluff. Thank you for Reading, it really does make me happy since it's a long story.

The next day school proceeded as normal, the bullies were worse than before but there was also a lot more positive things too. While Cas was away, things started shifting between groups and they stood up more often. They made an impact on the school, so the rumors stayed rumors and not a lot of people bothered them, just stayed their distance.

During lunch Dean and Cas went to the office and asked about their gym class. They had reluctantly agreed even though no one had done that in a while. After they left Castiel was very happy, grinning at Dean before pulling him into the bathroom for a quick kiss so they wouldn't get caught.

Castiel gently pecked Dean on the lips, hugging him around his shoulders. "I'm so glad that worked out." he said.

"I know." Dean grinned, pulling Cas into a deeper kiss.

They had to force each other away from each other so they wouldn't push it any further. Castiel waved bye to Dean as he headed to his cooking class. Gym was rolling around the corner and Cas was a bit weary but Dean was there for him. He glanced at Dean and said he would try going to the nurse's office and wandered off after talking a bit with Dean.

There was heated looks exchanged in the locker room but it didn't express itself into words. The few weeks past by a lot easier and it was already rolling around near break. It was cold and they were bundled. It was the Friday before break, they were just let out and it was snowing.

Castiel bounced, looking over at Dean with an excited too, "Dean, let's play in the snow later!" he told him.

Dean's eyes widened excitedly as he saw the snow, turning to grin widely at Cas. "Hell yeah! Perfect timing for snow since we're free now." He replied, sticking his tongue out to try to catch a snowflake in his mouth.

Castiel took Dean's gloved hand into his and started walking back to the impala. "When it builds up, we'll play in the snow." he said happily.

This was a great way to end their day because all the stress was gone. They had finals that week and they had a lot of things to do and Cas helped Dean study and now it was just a big relief to them both. School was done until next year, they wouldn't have to deal with anyone and Christmas was coming soon. No more stress of school, just the sweet things for now. That was a huge lift of stress from their shoulders.

"Sounds good to me. I hope it keeps snowing." Dean replied as they got into the impala. "Man, this is the best way to start off break." He said with a grin, glancing at Cas before he started to drive. No more worries for a few weeks and the first snow of the year made him feel like a little kid. He hadn't /just/ played in snow for a while, but now he couldn't wait for it to build up enough to play in.

"Yes I agree. Now we can do all the things that we had previously planned. Not officially but have spoken of." Castiel smiled. He was looking out the window at the falling snow, it was a bit bitter outside but nothing a few layers couldn't cover. He was also hoping that it continued to snow so they could go out and play later and maybe be able to have hot chocolate. They had stocked up on all the things that Cas said was needed in the house for winter and they have yet to use much and most of it was baking supplies.

"It's gonna be great." Dean replied, still beaming. Snowmen, snow angels-if Cas didn't think they were correct-he glanced sideways at Cas and smirked. As soon as they pulled up to the house, Dean hopped out and crouched down to scrape together some of the light snow and make a meager snowball. "Heads up!" He called with a grin, tossing it at Cas as he got out of the car.

Castiel turned a little and saw it burst in his face. He was stunned for a second before he huffed, smiling before stooping down and bundling the snow to make a small ball and tossing it back to Dean quickly. He shook out the remaining snow on him, laughing a bit. He hid behind the impala after and start making small snowballs to toss back at Dean.

Dean laughed at the look on Cas's face at being hit before making another snowball. He managed to block Cas's hit with with his arm but it broke apart and showered him in snow. He grinned and crouched down, hastily forming some more balls and sneaking around the impala to try to catch Cas by surprise and threw a few snowballs at him.

Castiel was forming his and he had a little pile and he heard the little steps and he immediately turned toward the sound and they exchanged tossing snowballs at each other. Castiel laughed, throwing aimlessly at Dean and trying to get him before he tackled him to the ground. They rolled a bit into the snow before Castiel swiped some snow and hit Dean with it, rolling on top of Dean as they laid there catching their breaths from laughing. Castiel's hair dripped a little from the wet snow and he was grinning down at Dean.

Dean grinned underneath Cas, his breath coming out in misty puffs as he wiped away a stray lock of dripping hair from Cas's face. He had flecks of snow across his face and in his hair, but he didn't mind it. "Let's call it a draw." He suggested with a laugh, looking up at Cas.

"Okay. It's a draw." Castiel replied. He was looking down at Dean and he was just staring a bit, "Your eyes change colors for the season..." he stared, noticing it a bit. "They're aren't actually that green now, they're almost like a whiskey brown color." he said. It was contrast to the snow around them and he was just staring down at Dean with a wonderment look. He smiled a bit, "They're still very captivating." he complimented.

Dean batted his eyelashes playfully and smiled. "I'm glad you like my winter eyes." He replied before looking back and forth at Cas's eyes. "Yours still look icy blue- almost like icicles, or the color the sky gets when it's really cold." He said, looking at them for a moment.

"Icy blue? I sound like a very cold person." Castiel laughed a little, smiling down at Dean. "Come warm me up?" he asked before gently kissing Dean's slightly red nose and slowly getting up, offering Dean a hand to get up with him. He was planning to make hot chocolate for them once they got inside and they could snuggled together.

"I was the one on the cold hard ground." Dean commented with a grin, taking Cas's hand and pulling himself up. "But I'll try to warm up your iciness." He teased as he dusted off some of the snow on his jacket before walking with Cas into the house.

Castiel shook off the extra snow before stepping into the house with Dean and taking off their shoes and winter wear. They hung their jackets up and everything else before they stepped into the kitchen where it was much warmer. Castiel padded across the floor to the fridge and took out some milk and a little pot to boil it. He poured some in and let it boil as he got out two mugs. He went back to the pot and mixed in sugar, vanilla extract, cocoa powder and a little salt. He whisked it around and turned it off before taking the little pot and pouring out the drinks into each mug. He quickly shook a can of whip cream and swirled the top and put a few small marshmallows on top, sprinkled with cinnamon.

He looked up at Dean after he was done, "Look good?" he asked. He loved curling up by the fireplace with a warm drink at this time but this year, he had Dean to cuddle with and he was very excited.

Dean watched Cas and grinned when he handed him the steaming mug. "Looks amazing. Way better than the little instant packets you add hot water to." He said with a laugh. "But I don't think it'll warm me up enough." He added seriously. "I think I'm going to have to huddle up next to you so we don't get cold." He continued, breaking into a grin.

"Can't have you cold can we?" Castiel smiled at him before walking over to Dean and into the other room where they would curl up by the window with a blanket. He glanced at Dean first before sitting down, "Do you want to sit down first and me sitting between you or vise versa?" he asked.

"I'll be your cushion." Dean answered with a smile, sitting down and maneuvering his mug and the blanket before opening his arms for Cas. This was probably one of his favorite things to do so far in the winter- sit with Cas by the window with some of his amazing hot cocoa.

Castiel smiled brightly at Dean before sitting himself between Dean's legs with his back to his chest. He brought the mug close and fixed the blankets around them both before snuggling up to Dean. He glanced up at Dean with a soft smile, before sipping on the hot cocoa, it cooled down a bit with the whip cream. "I'm glad I'm not alone this year." he said softly.

Dean wrapped his arm around Cas and smiled, lapping out a marshmallow with his tongue before sipping the hot chocolate. "I'm glad you're not either. I love having you here, and not just because you keep me warm." He replied with a smile. "Hopefully you'll never have to be alone on the holidays again." He added more softly.

"I hope I won't either..." Castiel replied, leaning back on Dean completely and holding his mug between his hands. He was very happy and content. He was happy to be here, that he didn't have to sit at his far too large home that echoed when you dropped something. He didn't get to read as often, but he wouldn't want to if Dean was here to keep him company. It was still snowing outside, falling more quickly than when they left school. He hummed softly, sipping on more of the hot chocolate and just snuggling against Dean. Everything was perfect for once.

Dean smiled and kissed the top of Cas's head, leaning back slightly against the wall and rested his head on Cas's. He watched the snow, hoping it would stick so that they'd be able to do stuff later- he wanted to do everything with Cas, especially the stuff he'd missed out on while he was alone.

They sat for a while in a comfortable silence, having their hands laced together under the blankets as they drank their hot chocolate. Castiel hummed softly after a little bit, thinking of things. "Dean...What do you want for christmas?" he asked. He glanced up at Dean with a curious look.

Dean blinked and glanced down at Cas, thinking for a moment. "I don't really know." He replied, thinking that he already had anything he could want in his arms. "Me, Sam, and Bobby never really get each other anything too big or whatever. What do you want?" He asked.

Castiel laughed a bit, "Dean. I'm rich, I don't think there's much else I could possibly want without me going out and getting it." he said. He hummed in thought a bit, "Just a day with you sounds perfect for me." he told him. "Another date if you would say." he smiled brightly.

"Just a second date?" Dean replied, thinking for a moment. He could think of some way to make that special enough for a Christmas present, he was pretty sure. "We'll see." He replied with a smirk. "And since you admit you're rich, I definitely expect something amazing from you." He teased. "Nah, just having you with me is better than any other gift I could think of."

Castiel leaned his head back and kissed Dean under his jaw. "I'll be sure to think of something or I could say the same to you. Having you is more than enough." he said. "If you have an idea on what you would like, please tell me." he added.

"You can make me a /giant/ pie." Dean suggested with a grin. "But if I think of something, I'll be sure to let you know." He added, though he didn't think he'd be able to think of much.

"Maybe, but I would be very jealous if you left me on Christmas for your gift." Castiel laughed lightly. "I don't want to have to compete for your affection." he added. He finished the rest of his mug and was holding it in his hands, just not wanting to move.

"I wouldn't abandon you on Christmas. Maybe the day after." Dean teased before Sam came down.

Sam glanced at them with a small laugh, "You guys look cozy." he commented before walking into the kitchen. He was just picking up an apple to eat, "So you guys want to build a snowman later? The snow seems to be sticking and not stopping any time soon." he said.

"Yeah, we gotta build a huge snowman." Dean replied with a grin, glancing over at Sam before looking out the window again at the snow. "Looks like perfect snowman conditions." He added with a chuckle.

"Maybe we should invite Charlie and Kevin over to come help us." Sam offered.

Castiel smiled at the thought, "That sounds like a good idea. We can spend the first snowfall together." he said. "Oh! That means I get to bake!" he looked excited now. "I wonder what I should make." he thought about it now, sitting up slightly so he can figure out what to make before everyone came or if they're coming.

Sam nodded, "I'll go text them before it gets bad and they can stay over." he said before going back upstairs.

"Oh yeah, it'll be fun to have them over." Dean said with a smile, perking up when Cas mentioned baking. "Ooh, yes, you should definitely bake something." He encouraged, sitting up slightly as well. "What're you thinking of making?"

"Something warm that's very easy to make." Castiel hummed softly. "I can make something simple. I haven't made cookies for you before." he glanced back at Dean. "That sounds like a good plan right? Cookies? Warm chocolate chip ones?" he asked.

Dean grinned and nodded excitedly. "That sounds perfect. I haven't had homemade cookies since I was a kid." He replied, the thought of warm cookies practically making his mouth water in anticipation.

Castiel looked up at Dean and laughed lightly, "You're the cutest." he said. He loved it when Dean's face lit up with excitement and anticipation. He looked so happy and looked a few years younger than what he already was and it was really cute. He gently kissed Dean's cheek. "Cookies it is then." he smiled.

Dean rolled his eyes but smiled at Cas calling him cute- he was definitely the only one who could get away with calling him that. "Oh, hey, I get to lick the spoon, right?" He asked though he realized it was a bit premature.

"Hmm...Maybe. We'll see." Castiel smiled at him. He wanted to go and bake now, but he also wanted to stay nestled in with Dean and their blanket. It was a tough choice. He could either make Dean happy with cookies or they could snuggle together for a little longer. He laid his head back on Dean's chest, "It's so hard to make choices when either choice I have involves you." he said.

"Either sit here longer or go make cookies? Well, I could take myself out of one of those options if that would make it easier." Dean offered with a smile, arching his brow slightly. "Or I could make the choice for you and carry you over to the kitchen." He added, chuckling.

Castiel arched a brow, "The kitchen is right there Dean, why would I wish for you to carry me there?" he asked. "And no, you're not allowed to take yourself out of one of the choices. I would be quite sad if I had to do one alone." he said. He looked up at Dean, "We're going to cuddle later." he told him.

"Yes sir." Dean replied with a straight face and a nod before grinning. "You can be bossy sometimes, but I like those orders. Cuddles after cookies and snowmen and all that. Sounds good to me." He teased, sitting up again.

Castiel sat up with him before turning around and looking at him. "Is it bad that I can be bossy?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. He smiled a bit before pulling Dean close and brushing his face by his, "You can take orders very well." he said quietly. He gently nipped at Dean's ear before pulling away and sauntered to the kitchen without glancing back at Dean.

Dean raised his brows and grinned, shaking his head slightly as he watched Cas walk into the kitchen. He loved how Cas could switch from cuddling and loving to that sassy. "I'm only good at following orders from you." He replied as he stood up and followed him.

Castiel glanced up at Dean, smiling slightly. "Good. Those are the only orders you should follow." He said before turning on the oven.

He started putting together the dry ingredients together and then making the wet batter. He hummed softly, moving around Dean occasionally. He started mixing the two before he added the chocolate chips. He added both white and milk chocolate chips in the batter. Once he finished mixing he pulled out a sheet and coated it. He glanced at Dean again before he started making little sections of cookies on the sheet and he still had some batter left. He gently pushed the bowl toward Dean after he scraped the sides and the rest of it into the spoon. He gently pushed the sheet into the warm oven and set the time. "Done. Now we wait." He said.

Dean grinned as he pulled the bowl closer. "I'm okay with waiting for a while." He replied as he ran his finger along the inside of the bowl and licked off some of the dough from his finger. "I wonder when everyone's going to get here." He added.

"Probably soon." Castiel smiled.

The door opened after with a bundled Charlie and Kevin looking at them. "You guys should really lock the front door." Charlie supplied.

"You should really knock." Kevin added.

Charlie glanced back at Kevin before back at the other two and taking off the winter wear, she quickly walked into the kitchen. "Mmmm, it smells good in here. What are you making?" She asked.

"Cookies." Castiel replied.

Kevin slowly came in after, "Oh? That sounds really good for the snow right now." He said.

Sam came down after and glanced at Dean, "Are you eating raw cookie dough?" He asked.

Charlie glanced at him, "Oh I want some! Share with me Dean." She said.

"Of course I'm eating raw cookie dough. It's delicious and one of the best parts of making cookies." Dean informed Sam as if it was obvious before glancing at Charlie and sighing dramatically. "Fine, I'll share, but only because it's getting close to Christmas." He said, swiping some more dough with his finger before offering the bowl to Charlie.

Charlie smiled, "Thanks Dean." She said happily, scooping a little on her finger. She offered some to Kevin who shook his head.

Sam arched a brow a Dean, "Best part at making cookies? So you don't want the cookies when it's done?" He asked.

Castiel turned and looked at him, "You don't?" He asked.

"Whoa, whoa, I said /one/ of the best things. I still definitely want cookies when they're done." Dean replied, eyes widening slightly at the thought of not getting cookies. "The dough is just to ride me over until they're done."

Castiel let out a small breath, "They're just about done." He told them. Then the oven went off. Castiel slid on an oven mitt and took them out, filling the house with the baked aroma. He put them down on a cooling rack. "No eating it yet. Let it cool down for a few minutes." He told them.

Sam smiled, "Smells homey in here. It's nice." He commented.

Charlie put away the bowl from earlier, "Yeah it smells good. I love it when the house smells like freshly baked sweets." She added.

Dean inhaled deeply and smiled. "Yeah, they smell awesome." He chimed in, waiting impatiently for them to cool. "Oh, does anyone want milk to go with them?" He offered. "That's the best combination."

"Yes." They all replied in unison.

Castiel smiled, he enjoyed cooking a lot more when he knew that the people who were eating it enjoyed it. He especially loved seeing Dean's expression because it was enthusiastic and happy. It made him love everything he cooked and want to cook more just to see his expression. Castiel got out four glasses and poured in milk for all of them and handed each of them their glass. He easily took off the cookies off the sheet and set them into a bowl.

"They should be harder around the edges but softer in the middle. Careful, they might still be hot though." he told them.

"Thanks." Dean said as Cas gave him the glass of milk. He perked up when Cas said the could eat them, ignoring his warning that they still might be hot and taking a bite of one. "Ah, ah, yeah, they're still hot." He breathed, though it didn't stop him from eating another bite- though this one was smaller and only of the cooler edge. "These are amazing. They taste like home." He added with a chuckle, looking up at Cas before taking a sip of milk.

Castiel's face lit up as he looked at Dean, "Really? I'm glad you like them." he smiled.

Charlie was next to take one, breaking it in half and dipping it in her drink and eating it, she hummed softly. "It does taste like home." she said.

Kevin and Sam took one and they slowly nibbled on them. Castiel looked really happy, "I'm glad they turned out so well." he bounced a little. "This was the first sweets I baked here." he said happily.

Dean grinned at Cas's excitement as he dunked the remainder of his cookie in the milk before eating it. "The first of many, hopefully." He replied after he'd swallowed, reaching over to take another and chuckling.

"Dean's going to get faaat." Charlie teased.

"I'd be happy to make some for you as well if you would like." Castiel offered.

"Oh that'd be great. I would love to have sweets in our house." Charlie grinned.

Kevin drank down some of the milk. "You might get fat." he commented.

Charlie made a certain face at him, "Really? Do you really think so?" she asked with a sad expression.

Kevin glanced up at her "No." he replied.

"I knew that you weren't serious." Charlie grinned after. Kevin rolled his eyes.

Sam glanced outside, "Well it doesn't look like it's snowing as bad now, so after this we can go out." he offered.

"Perfect!" Charlie said happily, taking another cookie.

Dean glanced out the window and grinned. "Awesome. I feel like a little kid, eating cookies and milk and about to be playing in the snow." He chuckled, drinking some more of his milk and grabbing another cookie for good measure.

Charlie easily finished her cookie before grabbing Kevin and walking them to the door to put their things back on. "Meet you slowpokes out there." she said. Sam was quick to follow since he only had one cookie and finished his milk earlier.

Castiel glanced at Dean, humming softly before walking over to him. He wrapped his fingers around Dean's wrist and took a bite of the cookie. He looked up at Dean before taking the cookie from his fingers and nibbling on the rest. "Save the rest for later." he smiled at Dean and gave him a quick kiss. He walked back over to the door and started putting their winter wear back on, "Coming?" he asked.

"Right behind you, Bossy." Dean teased with a grin as he followed Cas, pulling on his winter gear before joining the others outside. He took a deep breath of the freezing air before letting it out in a foggy puff. "Perfect snowman-building weather." He declared.

Castiel glanced back at him, "I'm not bossy." he smiled. "Not always." he added right after.

Charlie and Kevin were standing near Sam in an open area. "Nice of you to join us, you snails." Charlie teased. "So snowman first?" she asked. "We're going to make it huge." she declared.

"Or we can make something not a snowman but a sculpture of something." Kevin offered.

"Like what?" Sam asked.

"I don't know, I was just throwing out ideas so it won't get boring." Kevin shrugged.

"That's a lot of work." Charlie complained.

"Says the person who wants to build a huge snowman." Kevin rolled his eyes.

"A snowman won't be so hard. We just have to roll some snow." Dean replied with a chuckle, rubbing his hands together. "But if it's going to be giant, we should get started. We can make it /huge/." He added with an excited grin, glancing around at all of the snow on the ground.

"I agree with Dean." Charlie said excitedly. She started packing snow together to make a head and Kevin started the middle. Castiel decided to help Kevin, leaving Sam and Dean to do the bottom.

Sam glanced at Dean, "Well I guess we're setting on how big we're going to make this." he smiled. He started the base and rolled it around before it got bigger and bigger and he needed help to roll it around.

Castiel glanced over at them and laughed a bit before helping Kevin again. Charlie easily made hers and was just reshaping it to make it spherical. She then got up and started looking around for things to put in the snowman.

Once they had the three pieces they all looked at each other, "So, who's going to stack these?" Charlie asked.

"We're leaving the base where it is, it's too huge to move." Sam told her.

Castiel and Kevin rolled their section over, "Okay, we compacted it but it's going to be heavy to put on." he told them. They all lent a hand in putting it up and there was the head left,

"I want to put the head on." Charlie told them. Sam sighed a bit before picking her up and her putting it on with a grin. "Thanks moose." she said.

Sam laughed a bit, "You're welcome." he replied. "Now we just have to do details." They said.

They gathered branches and stones, putting it in their snowman and they looked pleased at their work. All their noses and cheeks were red. Charlie grinned before packing snow together and throwing some at Kevin and Kevin looking shocked for a second before he glared at her and started packing snow and throwing it back at her, but she ran behind Sam and it accidentally hit Sam.

Sam grinned, then it broke out into a snowball fight. Everybody for themselves but eventually they formed packs against one another and they were out of breath from laughing after. Charlie pulled Kevin into the snow with her after and started making a snow angel. Kevin called her childish but made one too.

Sam just plopped back and made a big one next to them and Castiel was staring at them, "That's not a very accurate angel." he commented. "It could easily be said to be a nun that fell into the snow. Quite possibly a pope considering it looks like a robe." he told them.

Dean had dropped to the ground to make a snow angel, and he stood up when Cas said they didn't look correct. "Well, angels can wear robes too." He said before grabbing a stick and drawing a sort of halo above his angel's head and drawing squiggles along the arms to make them look more feathery, like wings. "There, is that any better?" He asked with a laugh, looking down at his poorly drawn angel.

Castiel laughed a bit, looking at Dean's angel. "I suppose that is slightly better. You still have your unique artistic hand." he commented.

The other three stood up and glanced at Dean's drawing. Sam arched a brow, "Wow, still haven't gotten better huh Dean?" he asked.

Charlie laughed, "You're terrible. It's okay I am too."

Kevin shrugged, "I can't really draw either." he said.

"Hey, at least you can tell it's an angel, okay?" Dean replied with fake offense.

Charlie took the stick from Dean and started drawing in the snow too. She drew a crown and what appears to be a sword.

Kevin laughed a bit, "Terrible." he commented.

Sam took the stick and draw antlers on his and he looked pleased. Kevin took the stick last and just wrote weirdos into the snow. Castiel laughed a bit more, before looking at everyone with their rosy cheeks and noses, "Ready to go back inside. I can make more hot chocolate." he offered.

"Oh god. That sounds fantastic." Charlie said.

"Ohh, hot chocolate sounds amazing." Dean added, looking over at Cas. He hadn't realized just how freezing it was until he thought of holding a delicious, steaming mug of Cas's hot chocolate.

Castiel took Dean's hand and led him inside with everyone close behind. He started talking off the winter wear and draping it up before going into the kitchen. Sam went into the living room and started the fireplace again to warm up the house. Charlie and Kevin went back outside to get their things to set up the way they slept when they slept over last time. Castiel washed a pot and set it on the stove and boiled the milk again before adding white chocolate this time and little peppermint pieces. He added vanilla extract and a dash of cinnamon and stirred it up.

Sam, Kevin, and Charlie were setting up the area with the help of Dean and making the soft bedding. Castiel got out three extra mugs and washed the two that they used earlier and set it on the table. He poured them out evenly before adding just a little whip cream on top, shaved milk chocolate, and a little sugar cinnamon. He smiled at the drinks, "Okay you can come get one now." he told them.

Dean glanced up when Cas called them, walking with the others back into the kitchen. He took one of the steaming mugs and lapped up a little of the whipped cream with his tongue before blowing on it and taking a small sip. "Mmm," he hummed in contentment. "That really hits the spot."

Everyone's face was still a little rosy from being outside and they all took a mug and slowly drank some. Kevin licked away the whip cream mustache he had and Sam burnt his tongue a little. Charlie stirred in everything before trying to drink it. Castiel just lightly blew at his drink before sipping some. It had a faint taste of peppermint in it and it was refreshing. They also had cookies from before so they had a sweet snack to come back to from the cold snow.

Castiel held his mug close before wandering into the living room and sitting down where Dean and him were sitting earlier. Everyone else just kind of slowly followed and sat on the ground of their plush section, sipping on their drinks. Charlie had her backpack, she had movies in it with board games and junk food.

Kevin glanced at her, "We're all going to get fat huh?" he asked.

Charlie grinned, "That's normally what happens on breaks, yes." she replied.

"And it's going to be awesome." Dean interjected as he sat down beside Cas. "Getting fat over break is the best part anyway." He added with a chuckle, shrugging. "So other than sitting around and getting fat, what do you guys wanna do first?" He asked, looking over at Charlie's backpack with the different things to do inside.

Castiel looked over at Dean before scooting over to him again and leaning on him. He sighed contently before sipping on his drink some more. Charlie hummed, "I have some card games, board games, and movies. I would have brought my game systems but that's a lot of stuff." she said. "This would definitely be interesting if we have a winner loser thing. Like you know with a punishment? It would be wild if we had alcohol but we don't have that either." she said.

Castiel hummed softly around his drink, "If you would like to have alcohol, Gabriel is willing to purchase some. I don't think it would be a good idea to be drinking though." he said.

"Gabriel would really- What am I even asking, of course he would." Dean replied with a laugh, thinking about the little "gifts" he had got him and Cas. "But I like the sound of a punishment for the losers. What were you thinking?" He asked, perking up at the thought of some of them having to do something- and it wouldn't be him, because of course he planned to win.

"Hmm, what would be a good substitute for a punishment without alcohol." Charlie thought about it for a moment.

Sam arched a brow, "Winner can tell what the loser to do, but nothing permanent. Like it can stick for the rest of today or just them to do something." Sam offered.

Kevin pressed his lips together, "Why do I feel like this is a bad idea already?" he asked.

"Bad ideas make best stories." Charlie laughed. Castiel snuggled into Dean, not bothered by any of this.

"Hmm, okay, I can work with that." Dean replied with a grin. "It's only going to be a bad idea to whoever loses." He added to Kevin, smirking. "Alright, which game are we going to play then?" He asked.

"Maybe a shorter game. You know so it'll be easier on us to not have to wait and it'll definitely be more interesting." Charlie grinned.

"I hate playing games with you guys, you guys always make it scary and dangerous." Kevin commented.

"Scary and dangerous is exactly why they're fun with us." Dean said to Kevin with a grin.

"Great." Charlie laughed.

Sam looked in her bag, "Maybe cards?" he offered. "Like uh. Uno?" he asked.

"That sounds fun. Stacking?" Charlie asked.

"What's uno?" Castiel asked.

"Basically, you're trying to get rid of all of your cards, but you can only put one down at a time and it has to match either the color or number of the stack. And then there's cards that make other people draw more cards, skip turns, stuff like that." Dean explained to Cas, by now getting used to him not knowing games like these.

"Can I watch you play the first time?" Castiel asked.

"I don't see why not. We start the penalty thing after we reach him how to play first." Said Charlie. She picked up the deck and shuffled it quickly, laying out cards and explained everything.

Castiel nodded, "Okay I think I get it." He said.

"Okay, no takesies backsies after you join." Charlie told him.

Castiel nodded, "Okay." He said. Charlie picked up the cards again as everyone formed a circle with their mugs close by. She dealt them out and they started to play.

Dean glanced over at Cas as Charlie dealt, hoping he'd get the hang of it quickly since it wasn't too complicated. Then again, it would be pretty fun to get to boss Cas around- as long as Dean won. Then again, Cas could turn out to be oddly good at it and end up winning.

They all organized their cards before setting down the first card, Sam went first. They went around the circle and Charlie was down to her last card. If the person didn't have a card they would have to keep drawing until they did. Kevin was losing and it was making him freak out. He was no way going to lose to Charlie or lose at all for that fact. Castiel was tied with Sam and he vaguely got how to play the game but he was getting better but everyone always crossed him before he got to play so he got stuck with cards. Sam's face was unreadable. He was just playing.

Dean managed to keep a poker face, but internally he started getting excited as he realized he was winning. He just about had a heart attack when Charlie almost won, knowing that her bossing them around was definitely going to be embarrassing, and was relieved when she had to draw more cards.

His straight face started to crack and he broke into a wide grin as he laid down his final card. "Ha! I win!" He cheered, smiling triumphantly.

Charlie let out a resigned sigh, "Dammit..." she said. "Fucking reds." she cursed.

The other 4 played until they had a loser, Charlie came in second, Sam next after her, leaving only Kevin and Castiel. They both had only a few cards and it was Castiel's turn. He put down a card and waited anxiously for Kevin's play. Kevin glanced up at him then at the card before he placed down his last card. Castiel sighed softly, he figured he lose. His hand was a different assortment of numbers and colors, it was play a card and hope for the best.

Charlie arched a brow, "Interesting. So what's it going to be Winchester?" she asked.

Dean grinned mischievously as Cas lost. Getting to boss any of them around would be fun, but this was exactly what Dean had been hoping for. "So I get to boss you around for the rest of the day, right?" He confirmed, trying to think of the different things he could get Cas to do.

Castiel tilted his head to the side slightly, "If that is what you want. You could also request me to do one thing as well." he told him.

Charlie pressed her lips together. "I call for second rounds for the middle people. I want to boss someone around." she said.

Kevin groaned, "No." he said.

Sam shrugged, "That's fine with me." he said.

Charlie grinned before dealing between the three and letting Dean mull over what he wanted. They played and it was a close game but Sam won.

"Dammit, is it just Winchesters winning?" Charlie groaned.

"I get to boss the both of you around." Sam laughed.

"This was a bad idea." Charlie mumbled.

"Told you." Kevin looked at her.

Sam tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Charlie can you put this in the sink? And Kevin can you put on a movie? Also grab some candy for me, any is fine. Thank you." he grinned.

Charlie sighed before getting up and doing as she was told and Kevin went through Charlie's bag and giving Sam something he might want before going to the TV. Sam grinned and kicked back to relax.

"Atta boy, Sammy." Dean grinned as Sam beat Charlie and Kevin. He looked back at Cas thoughtfully, still smiling. "Mm, no, I think I'll stick with a bunch of little things all night. I don't want you to get off too easy. Starting with..." He paused, thinking for a moment. "Oh, how about another cookie." He decided.

Castiel nodded a bit before he got up and got a napkin and came back with a cookie for Dean. He sat down next to him and looked at him to see if he wanted anything else. Sam laughed a bit, "Odd, but I can get used to it. Like having friend servants in the house." he said.

Charlie pushed him a bit, "You're lucky you won." she stuck her tongue out.

"Want to feed me?" Sam asked with a teasing grin.

"No, but do I have a choice?" Charlie asked.

Sam shook his head, "Not really." he laughed.

Charlie took the M&M's he was eating and plopped some into his mouth. Kevin just rolled back to his seat and drank his hot chocolate. Sam wasn't really mean, but he had a lot of requests. "Kevin can you bring that pillow here?" he asked.

Kevin sighed before grabbing it and sitting over by Sam, giving it to him. Sam laughed, "Annoying you guys yet?" he asked.

Charlie and Kevin sighed, "It could be worse." they said.

Dean watched Sam bossing them around and chuckled, taking the cookie from Cas. "At least I'm not as bad as Sam." He commented. "C'mere, if we're gonna watch a movie I need to be warm." He added with a grin, opening his spare arm invitingly for Cas.

Castiel smiled a bit, grabbing a blanket on the way when he scooted closer to Dean and draped it around them. He wrapped his arms around him as well, "Are you warm enough?" he asked.

Dean smiled and settled in against Cas under the blanket. "Yep, definitely warm enough. And comfortable." He replied, wrapping his arm around Cas.

Sam looked at Charlie and Kevin, "Did you guys want to lay down?" he asked.

Charlie immediately changed her position and laid down on Sam. "You're the perfect pillow." she laughed. Kevin laid a pillow by Sam and laid down.

Sam glanced over Charlie, "Can I have that blanket?" he asked. Charlie sat up a bit and grabbed it and handed it Sam. Sam then draped it around all three of them and smiled a bit.

Dean glanced over at the others and grinned. "They look pretty comfortable too."

"Was that all you wanted?" Castiel asked, feeling really cozy with Dean's arm around him. He squeezed Dean closely, not really paying much attention to the movie as his attention was on Dean, like it always was.

Sam let Kevin and Charlie scoot closer to him and they were all just eating the candy that was resting on Sam's stomach. He didn't really request much but he couldn't think of anything.

"Mmm, for now I think that's all." Dean replied. "I'll think of something later, but it's hard to order you to do stuff when you're so comfy. I don't want to make you move." He chuckled, leaning against Cas slightly.

Castiel laughed lightly, "You have the rest of the night to think of things. I'm yours to serve." he told him. "But I would be a bit reluctant to move right now if you did ask." he told him.

Charlie looked at them, "Do you guys want some junk food or anything?" she asked, offering up her bag.

"Mine to serve all night. I like how that sounds." Dean replied with a smirk before glancing up as Charlie offered them food. "How can I resist junk food? I'll take some candy, I don't mind what kind." He answered.

Charlie reached in blindly, pulling out the first thing and tossed it to them. It was starbursts. She went back to laying on Sam, "If you need anymore, ask." she said.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "Do you?" he asked.

"Thanks," Dean said to Charlie before unwrapping one and popping it in his mouth. He looked down at Cas and smiled. "Of course. Now I get to be as bossy as I want for a change, though there's not a whole lot I want." He said.

Castiel leaned his head into the crevice of Dean's neck and laid there for a moment, "You can be bossy whenever. I don't mind, but it seems like it's better when I am." He chuckled a little. "I don't mind doing things for you Dean. Happy to serve you." He told him.

Dean leaned his head against Cas's. "That's true. I like when you get bossy- sometimes." He admitted with a grin. "And I know you wouldn't mind doing most of the things I'd "order" you to do, but it's nice to pretend I have power." He joked. "Just for a night, though."

"You always have a power over me." Castiel said softly. "Have you even paid attention to the movie Dean? I'm supposed to pay attention to you, yet you haven't watched the movie." he added with a soft laugh.

Charlie glanced at them as they talked quietly to each other, not paying attention to anyone but each other. "Damn...makes me wish I had a relationship." she turned back to the movie.

Sam laughed lightly, "You have me and Kevin." he told her.

"Hmm. Polygamist relationships? I'm down with that." Charlie laughed a little.

Kevin sighed, "I don't agree with this." he said.

"Well we get to be your girlfriend and boyfriend til you find out your orientation or get a lover." she teased.

Dean sighed exaggeratedly but softly. "How can I pay attention to anything when you're around? I'm surprised my grades didn't crash and burn in the classes I have with you." He complained teasingly. "Unwrap a starburst for me?" He asked, offering one up just to have Cas do something for him.

Castiel took the starburst and looked at it, he slowly peeled back the two flaps and unstick it all but didn't take it out of the wrapper. He glanced at Dean before he wrapped it back up popped it into his mouth and threw the blankets over their head as he pulled Dean close. He unwrapped it in his mouth and pass the candy to Dean and gave him a soft kiss after before taking the wrapper out and taking the blanket off. "Just because I'll listen doesn't mean I can't have fun with it." he smiled a bit. "Is that all you want?" he asked.

Deans brow furrowed slightly in confusion as Cas rewrapped it, looking even more confuse as he put it in his mouth. He grinned when he realized what Cas was doing, kissing him to pass the candy to him. "I like you having fun with it." He murmured as he chewed the candy. "I guess that's all for now, but if you're going to keep having fun then I'm going to keep asking for things."

"That's perfectly fine with me." Castiel looked up at him with a playful smile. "As long as you ask, I'll be willing to serve." he told him.

Sam had covered Charlie's eyes before that so she wouldn't stare, laughing a bit after. "It's like walking in to them having sex but not." he commented quietly.

"I didn't think you were serious. I mean...seriously. That's...we need lovers guys." Charlie commented after moving away Sam's hand.

"Working on it." Sam and Kevin replied.

"I know. Me too." Charlie laughed.

"Mm, I like that attitude." Dean replied softly before glancing up at the others, feeling them watching. "What? We're not even doing anything." He said with a chuckle, wondering what they were looking at.

"You were doing everything. Don't even try to hide it Winchester." Charlie replied. "Stupid googly eyes at each other." she muttered.

Sam laughed a bit, "When we have a relationship we can all do that." he commented.

Kevin finally glanced over at Dean and Cas, "It looks like you guys have sex...with your eyes. It's not good for onlookers." he told them before turning back to the movie.

Sam and Charlie burst out laughing, "That's the perfect way to say it." the agreed. Castiel blushed a bit, tucking his face a little into the blankets.

"Eye sex? Yeah okay." Dean replied with an eye roll and a chuckle. "Well then maybe you should watch the movie instead of us." He added pointedly before smiling down at Cas again. He loved how one moment he was unwrapping candy with his mouth and the next was blushing into the blankets- it was really endearing.

"Maybe we will." Charlie stuck her tongue out at him before laying her head back on Sam and watching the movie. Kevin scooted closer to them since Charlie kept taking the blankets. Sam laughed a bit and fixed the blankets so they all were happy. He was comfy.

Castiel could feel Dean's eyes on him and it made him hide his face even more, he could feel the blush deepening. "Stop staring at me Dean...You're making me blush." he grumbled slightly into the blankets.

"Sorry, I don't have to take orders from you right now." Dean replied teasingly, playing with the ends of Cas's hair as he hid his face in the blankets. "Besides, it's cute. You're the only person I know that can look so good blushing."

Castiel made a small huff sound at that, he slowly lowered the blankets just slightly past his eyes to look up at Dean. He leaned slightly into the touch before he looked up to see Dean looking at him. He got embarrassed again and covered his face again.

Dean grinned and chuckled lightly at Cas, loving his reaction. "Aw, c'mon, uncover your face." He said, using his power to enjoy how flustered Cas was getting over it. He kept playing with the ends of Cas's hair, twirling it lightly with his finger.

Castiel huffed again, slowly moving away to blankets. He leaned into Dean's hand, glancing shyly up at Dean. He was pouting a bit as he looked up. He was so tempted to hide away his face but Dean told him not to. The blush tinted his ears as he turned his face slightly into Dean's arm.

Dean smiled, tracing his thumb across Cas's pout. He glanced quickly at the others before sneaking a soft kiss once he was sure they weren't watching. "It's not my fault you're so attractive when your blushing." He defended himself with a grin.

Castiel relaxed a bit into Dean, he looked back up at Dean after he stole a quick kiss. "You only think I'm really attractive when I blush." he told him. "I don't even know why you find it so attractive." he scooted closer into Dean and snuggling into him.

"No, I think you're always really attractive. You're just even more cute than normal when you blush." Dean corrected with a smile as Cas snuggled back into him again.

Castiel let out a soft breath, "I always find you very attractive as well. Captivating. Sometimes I wonder how you were not taken by someone before I." he looked up at Dean. He felt his heart flutter a little at how Dean was looking at him so affectionately and that he really did think that was really cute. It made the blush come back up and he looked down again.

"Well, good looks only get you so far. Which is a good thing for me because you're definitely better than anyone else I could've been "taken" by." Dean replied, enjoying Cas's blush again. "I'm glad no one took you either." He added in a murmur, tucking his finger under Cas's chin to raise his face slightly and stroke his flushed cheek with his thumb.

Castiel leaned into Dean's hand, he wondered slightly on how Dean fell in love with him when he clearly was different than everyone else, inexperienced, awkward and shy, fumbled a bit and was clueless on things that were normal. He didn't think anyone would ever want him, romantically or physically. He quickly pulled the blanket back over their heads and pulled Dean into a kiss.

"You're more than merely a pretty face Dean." he said softly.

Dean laughed lightly as Cas pulled the blanket over them- it's not like the others wouldn't guess what they were doing- but sobered slightly at Cas's words and his kiss. Cas was the first and probably only one to see past his pretty face and asshole attitude, to see something more in him. And somehow, Cas loved whatever it was that he saw.

"And you're so much more than a guy who looks cute when he blushes." He replied with a soft smile.

Castiel smiled and laughed a bit before pulling off the blanket again. He kissed Dean softly on the cheek, lacing his fingers through his and leaned his head on his shoulder.

Charlie made a small gag sound, "Get a room lovebirds." she teased. "Don't need these hearts flying everywhere." she said.

Sam laughed a bit, "They can get a room but I think it'll be safer to keep them here." he added.

"Good point." Kevin agreed.

Dean smiled at Cas's kiss and squeezed his hand lightly, leaning his head on top of Cas's. He rolled his eyes at the others' comments and stuck his tongue out at them before laughing. "It's okay, we know you guys are just jealous." He teased with a nonchalant shrug.

Castiel glanced at the time, he would need to start cooking dinner soon. Maybe bake if he had the chance. He hummed softly, they already had a lot of sweets today so maybe he shouldn't. He relaxed on Dean, thinking of what he should make for dinner. He knew there was chicken so he could work with that, diced potatoes, and a little bit of pasta and vegetables sounded nice.

He glanced at Dean, "May I go start dinner?" he asked.

Dean arched his brow slightly at Cas asking permission, smiling slightly though he knew it was part of the deal. "Sure, go for it. Do you need any help?" He offered, though he figured Cas never actually /need/ his help in the kitchen.

"You are welcomed to help me but that is your choice." Castiel replied. "I don't mind if you would like to sit here and watch movies with them while I cook." he added.

"I can help if Dean doesn't want to." Kevin offered. "I dabble in the kitchen but it should be enough." he said.

Charlie glanced at him, "Housewife." she teased.

"Shut up." Kevin muttered.

Dean chuckled at Charlie and Kevin. "Okay, I'll let housewife Kevin help you out then." He replied, glancing over at Cas. Kevin would probably be more helpful anyway, and even though he hadn't been paying attention to the movie, Dean didn't mind watching the rest of it.

"You guys are dicks." Kevin commented before getting up and going to the kitchen. Castiel slowly moved away from Dean and followed after.

They slowly worked about in the kitchen, moving around each other and Charlie glanced up occasionally at the two. "Kevin, you should wear an apron for me one day." she teased.

"Oh ha ha. Just because I can cook and you can't doesn't mean anything." he replied as he cut up vegetables.

They bantered a bit as Castiel worked about they finished a little bit after the credits. "Okay come get food." Castiel wiped his hands. "Thank you for helping Kevin." he smiled.

"No problem." Kevin returned a small smile.

Charlie and Sam got up and went to the kitchen and grabbed a plate, "Thanks Cas, Kev." Sam grinned.

Charlie pinched Kevin's cheek, "You're so cute." she teased.

Kevin stuck his tongue out, "Not like you." he snipped back.

"Mm, looks good. Thanks for making it guys." Dean said as he walked into the kitchen behind Sam and Charlie, getting a plate and some food. "So who's more helpful with cooking: me or Kevin?" He asked Cas with a grin as he sat down.

Castiel hummed softly, "Kevin is more helpful in more areas but I do enjoy you keeping me company and helping me cut ingredients." he told him.

"Way to bring your boyfriend down." Charlie told Cas.

Sam laughed a little, "No point in sugar coating. At least he's telling the truth. That at least means something." he said. Kevin picked at his food, not adding to it.

Dean laughed and shrugged. "That's okay, I probably wouldn't have believed him if he'd said I was more helpful. As long as he likes having me around more, I don't mind." He replied as he started to eat. Castiel smiled, before starting to eat the food they made.

"So anyone want to go christmas shopping before it starts getting hectic?" Charlie asked. "We can all go ice skating tomorrow or even sledding!" she offered.

"That sounds like fun. It should have a lot of snow and it's something we can all do together." Sam agreed.

"Is it going to be like rollerskating?" Castiel asked.

"Something like that, just on ice." Charlie replied.

"Sounds difficult." Castiel pinched his eyebrows together.

"You'll get used to it." Kevin finally chipped in.

"Oh, sounds good to me." Dean replied. "I've actually been ice skating before, so I can help you out." He offered, though he was confident Cas would be able to get the hang of it- even if it was a bit more difficult than rollerskating. "And sledding would be awesome!" He added.

"I have never been sledding before." Castiel told them.

"I don't think we're surprised." Charlie laughed a bit. "We'll teach you tomorrow. We'll do a lot of winter things tomorrow!" she said happily.

"Yeah we can do that. That sounds like fun." Sam smiled. "We haven't been sledding in a while, it should be interesting." he said.

"Maybe we can go to the mall too! They decorate the tree there and it's kind of nice." Charlie chipped in.

"So ice skating, sledding, and the mall. That sounds like it'll be awesome." Dean chimed in with a smile. "You're gonna love sledding. It might seem a little scary at first, but it's amazing." He added to Cas, looking over at him.

"Really? I'm take your word for it. I'll try to keep up with you guys." Castiel smiled.

"I'll be easy, we'll all be there to teach you. So it's okay. Plus Dean said that he has done these things so even better." Charlie grinned. "Okay well now that planning is done. Should we go watch more movies? Well... Us three watch more movies and those two...whatever." she asked.

Sam laughed a bit, "Yeah, can you put this away for me?" He asked. Charlie nodded and got his dish and hers and put it in the sink. "And can I have a water bottle?" Sam requested.

Kevin got the water bottle and gave it to him as he put his dish away. "Thanks." Sam smiled before going back to where they were laying. Charlie and Kevin followed after.

"It's going to be fun." Dean assured Cas before handing him his plate. "Put this in the sink for me?" He asked. "And then we can go "whatever" while they watch a movie." He added with a chuckle as he stood up to go back in the other room.

Castiel took his plate and put his away as well. He hummed softly, "Dean? I'm going to wash dishes okay?" He told him. He was looking at the pans and dishes they used and figured why not wash it now.

"Oh, okay. Do you want any help?" Dean offered, not wanting to have Cas clean up all of their stuff but knowing that he probably would anyway.

"Only if you wish to help me Dean. I don't mind if you do or do not." Castiel replied to him as he rolled up his sleeves to wash the dishes.

Charlie glanced over at Kevin, "How come you're not as nice and cute as that housewife?" She asked.

"Because I'm not doing it for someone." Kevin glanced at her.

"You could be doing it for me or Sam." She grinned.

"Probably not." Kevin laughed a bit.

Dean chuckled at their banter and walked over beside Cas, not minding helping him. He started to dry the dishes that Cas washed, setting them in a stack that he could put away once they were done.

"Thank you for helping Dean." Castiel told him as he continued to wash. He finally washed the last dish and handed it to Dean. He gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It went by faster with you helping." He said.

"No problem." Dean replied with a smile as he finished drying the last dish and put them away. "Besides, it's not as comfortable on the floor without you, and watching movies isn't the same without you distracting me." He said, chuckling.

"You watched the movie when I was making dinner." Castiel pointed out. "But I suppose I can't have you uncomfortable can I? I wouldn't be doing my role." He smiled. He took Dean's hand and led him back to where they were and pulled up a blanket around them. He snuggled in closely and wrapped his arms around Dean. "Better?" He asked.

Dean smiled and wrapped his arm around Cas's shoulders. "Mm, much better." He replied as he settled in beside Cas. "You're very good at your job, don't worry." He grinned.

"I'm glad I am." Castiel smiled. "I like this job." He said. He let out a soft content sound, snuggling closely and tucking his feet a little under Dean, they were cold. He laughed a little, taking in Dean's warmth.

Dean tensed up at the feel of Cas's freezing feet. "Jesus, were you standing on ice?" He asked with a laugh. "Now you're less good at this, but it's still worth it." He added, shifting slightly but letting Cas keep his feet under him.

Castiel nuzzled his head into Dean, smiling. "Thank you for keeping my feet warm." He laughed a bit. He wiggled his toes a little. "My toes tend to get cold during the winter." He said. "I'm happy you're so warm." He added.

Dean smiled affectionately. "Well, it's the least I can do for those cookies you made. I'll thaw your frozen feet as long as you keep feeding me." He joked with a chuckle. "Plus I'm always warm for some reason, so I guess it works out for us."

"Well I'm not very cold, just my feet and maybe my hands, but that'll give me an excuse to hold your hand." Castiel smiled. He laced his fingers through Dean's, his hands were not that cold as his feet. It was warm from washing dishes, but Dean's hands were warmer.

Charlie glanced at them, "Oh god. It's so cute, I might throw up." She laughed before turning back on Sam. "It's not fair."

Dean squeezed Cas's hand with a chuckle before he rolled his eyes at Charlie's comment. "We're not cute, we're..." He protested before he trailed off, glancing down at their entwined fingers and laughing. "Yeah okay, we've gotten pretty cheesy. Whatever, we're adorable." He grinned with a shrug.

"Yeah, we can see. We're lucky you guys don't cupcake in front of us." Charlie laughed. "Didn't tag you as cheesy though, so it's definitely adorable to see you like that, melts my heart." She said.

Castiel laughed a bit and squeezed Dean's hand. "He can be, but he likes to use his masculinity to cover it." He said.

"I'm not cheesy and I don't-" Dean started to protest before stopping. "Nevermind, you're not going to believe me." He said instead, laughing. "But I'm barely cheesy. Only sometimes."

Castiel snuggled into his neck, "Mhm. Okay. Only sometimes." He smiled softly. He ran his nose a little up Dean's neck and rested his head down and breathing him in.

Charlie arched a brow, "I'm going to look away now. Just in case it gets worse." She laughed a bit.

Dean chuckled lightly at Charlie's reaction before settling down in the blankets and leaning against Cas slightly. He didn't mind if his manly reputation was replaced with being kind of cheesy- at least not with his friends.

"Not cheesy hmm?" Castiel said softly, squeezing Dean's hand. "I have proof that says otherwise." He laughed quietly. "But I'm happy if no one fully knows how you can be. It can be my secret pleasure."

"You have proof that I'm cheesy? Well, no one else knows how cheesy I am because I'm only this mushy with you." Dean replied. "So I'm good with it being your "secret pleasure" and everyone else can think I'm not."

"Yes I do. I have my cats that I love so dearly." Castiel smiled. "You tried very hard to get my Dean kitty and it's very endearing." He said. "Also to have a matching one with my Cas cat." He added.

"Yeah, that's true. I was pretty proud of myself for being able to get that cat for you- that's the first time I've actually managed to win something from one of those things." Dean admitted with a smile. "And I do like having a cat that looks like you. I guess I am pretty cheesy." He realized with a chuckle.

"Only around me you are." Castiel grinned. "I'm proud of you got winning that. I probably couldn't have and that sand kitty would never have a home." He said. He bumped shoulders with Dean a little before leaning his head on him.

"Don't you guys ever fight? Play fight or something? It seems like every time you guys are together it's like love love love." Charlie asked.

"Maybe they're in the honeymoon phase." Sam supplied.

"That's when they can't keep their hands off of each other." Kevin told him.

"Well... they can't. Thank god not sexually." Sam laughed.

"Hey, we have some restraint. We could be a /lot/ more honeymoon-y and touchy." Dean replied, arching his brow slightly and grinning. "Besides, we've fought before. And play fought." He added in defense. "Just not very often."

"Have we fought before Dean? I can think of two incidents but both were just telling the other how much they mattered. When I first came home and I was apologizing to you. And the time Gabriel came to get me. We have never truly argued. We've told the other was wrong multiple times before." Castiel looked up at Dean. "We play fought in the snow today so does that count?" He added.

"Not really. I mean it's not like you guys have actually been angry at each other where like you guys get huffy face and pout and sulk." Charlie replied. "So you've never fought? Wow, that's pretty impressive. How long have you guys been dating?" She asked.

"4 months." Castiel told her.

"Jeez. A month of that you weren't even here." She said.

Castiel frowned a little, "No...I wasn't." He said softly.

"That's true, our only "arguments" were just us being upset about how much we cared." Dean chuckled before glancing down at Cas and sobering slightly. "Yeah, you weren't here for a while, but that wasn't your fault. Plus you came back, and that's what really matters." He told Cas, squeezing his hand slightly.

Castiel glanced up at Dean, "Yes you are right. Us being together is what should matter. Though sometimes I wonder if I have clung onto you too much. That I have made things move too quickly and got you involved very fast." He said.

"Cas, you definitely haven't been clingy and you sure as hell haven't made me get involved too fast." Dean replied, wondering where Cas had gotten those ideas. "So we've only really been together for four months and a break in the middle. I don't care, I'm happy with the way everything turned out and where we are now." He said.

"I don't know Dean, two months in you were already involved with my family business and problems and after those two months, I disappeared, yet you let me come back. I hiked back just to see you and tell you I'm sorry. Two months Dean. People aren't normally this far involved, I believe it would be more of years of relationship to be this far involved." Castiel told him. "I'm not saying that I'm not happy. I'm over the moon happy with how things are but I just think I've gotten you too involved so quickly. You could've moved on in the month that I was gone. That was half the span time we've dated then." he said.

"But I didn't move on in that month and I didn't want to." Dean replied, frowning. "Yeah, I guess we moved kinda fast, but if we're both happy, what does it matter?" He asked, trying to stay patient with this. "How long has this been bothering you?" He added, realizing that Cas must have thought about this before.

"Oh crap." Charlie said quietly.

"You might have started an argument." Kevin replied to her.

Castiel bit his lip a little, glancing up at Dean briefly. "I...I might have thought of it quite a few times on my way back and maybe once or twice since then." he told him quietly, not wanting to tell him that the thought has come up recently. "I...I mean it's nice that we're happy, I've just thought about a lot of things on the way back that made me wish that I would turn around."

"You actually considered turning around for /that/?" Dean asked, brow furrowing in disbelief and temporarily forgetting about the others. "Cas, this isn't even a real problem! We were both happy, but you were going to go back just because you thought we moved a little too fast? And what, leave me without any way of knowing what happened to you?" He demanded, frustration leaking into his voice. "Plus you've thought of it 'once or twice' since then? So after everything we've been through and done, even though we're happy, you're still having doubts because it didn't take us years to be where we are." He concluded irritably, unable to fathom how this could possibly be something Cas would worry about, let alone be a reason for him to turn back when he was leaving his family's hold.

Castiel looked at Dean sadly. "Dean...we were together for two months. I didn't know what you felt. I wasn't even all too sure on what /I/ felt. I came back only thinking of telling you what happened, but I also thought about how maybe it wouldn't mattered if I just disappeared. No one else has before... I just thought that it would be worth telling you even if you wanted me back or not because you deserved a closing. How quickly we got together made me think of how fast it would be to do it again with someone else, mostly if that person was with you. They'd fall head over heels for you..." he replied. He swallowed a bit, "You don't think we've-I've had more problems since we've gotten together Dean? You've handled so many things from me and you don't think I wouldn't think that maybe I've gotten you too far involved and maybe that it's just pity that you've stayed? I doubt things a lot Dean, I can't help it...good things haven't happened to me very often."

Dean let out a soft breath before replying quietly, his anger dissipating. "Cas, I don't care about what problems you've had since we've been together. I don't care how fast I got involved in all your family crap and everything. I care about you, and it's that simple." He continued softly, watching Cas's expression. "What we have is never going to happen for me again. Yeah, we went fast, but that's just because we fit together so well. I don't know what I can do to get rid of all your doubt and convince you that something good happened for once, but trust me, it's not pity that's keeping me with you. Its love." He finished simply, voice just above a whisper.

Castiel's eyes shifted between both of Dean's eyes, his lip quivered a little before he pulled Dean in closer leaned his forehead against his. He let out a small shaky breath. He was trying not to get too emotional, vaguely aware of the onlookers. His words were a little shaky but they were laced with emotions. "Polo vasi...polo vasi pil nosinaz sov jasisi nana...Dazi nosanis sov pil ninil...Dazi nanisi tal vinom pil nimasa jezoni...polo vasi pil jodima nanisi...Polo vinom pim jelilamam. Senazoha polo pi var jalad..." he whispered quietly to just Dean. He wanted Dean to take him upstairs, to just breath but he wasn't allowed to tell Dean what to do.

Dean heard the raw emotion in Cas's voice and in his features, and he was desperate to ask what it all had meant. He suddenly remembered the others, however, and stopped himself from asking. "We'll be right back." He said simply before standing and helping to pull Cas to his feet. "Come here for a second." He add more quietly to Cas, knowing he wouldn't need the power of their little bet to get Cas to follow him upstairs and be without an audience.

Castiel squeezed his hand, following after Dean as he watched his feet not wanting to look up so everyone saw and knew exactly what he was expressing. He followed Dean into his room and he closed the door behind him, stopping him there and pulling him back to cup Dean's face and pulling him in for a desperate kiss that was filled with a bunch of emotions. He broke the kiss off after a few moments, looking at Dean. All of his build up and defense gone and he was just staring at Dean. He stroked his thumbs across Dean's cheeks, eyes glazed over a bit.

He took in a shaky breath as he started translating, "You are...You are my breath of fresh air... The brains of my mind. The piece to make my heart whole... You are the other piece of me... You make me complete. Without you I am lost..." he said softly like it was a secret just meant for their ears. They were alone but it felt private. "Pi valem polo ral jihez pid vihada." he said right after. "I love you so much it hurts." he closed his eyes a bit to compose himself a little, feeling his heart squeeze and everything felt like chaos but at peace.

Dean felt his heart pull, knowing exactly what Cas meant. Loving him so much that it hurt. He stepped a little closer and rested his hands on either side of Cas's neck, stroking his jaw with his thumb. "I love you. I don't care about anything else- I love you, and that's all that matters to me." Dean replied softly, knowing that his words could never be as meaningful as Cas's. He kissed Cas again, slowly and lovingly, hoping it could convey everything that Dean couldn't express properly with words.

Castiel's heart melted, feeling Dean kiss him. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around him and leaned up. He tried to convey what he meant as well through the kiss but he was better at understanding.

Dean moved his hand to card his fingers slowly through Cas's hair before breaking apart, keeping their faces close. "Cas, you're allowed to have doubts. You can think we went too fast or got too involved, whatever you want, but I need you to..." He trailed off, trying to find the right words as he met Cas's eyes. "I need you. So you can have doubts, and I'll reassure you, and you can do the same for me. But you can't think about things like turning back without me, okay?" He asked softly.

"I won't..." Castiel kept his eye contact with Dean, leaning into his touch. "I promise..." He said softly. He gently leaned forward to rest his forehead against Dean's. "I'm sorry I thought of those things. I won't in the future..." He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

"It's okay, I don't blame you. Everyone has doubts sometimes." Dean replied quietly. "I'm just glad you came back." He added, closing the distance between them to kiss Cas again. He didn't want to admit how frightening it had been to think that Cas might not have come back, that he could have completely disappeared from Dean's life.

Castiel leaned into him again, pulling him close tangling both his hands into Dean's hair to pull him closer. He felt like he hasn't touched him in so long but they were touching the whole time. He let out a quiet choked off a sound, feeling all his emotions that he kept in control downstairs spill over. He kissed Dean desperately, just wanting to touch.

Dean wrapped his arm around Cas's waist, tangling his fingers into his hair and matching Cas's desperation to touch him. The others were completely forgotten in his mind and all he cared about was feeling Cas and pouring out his emotions through their kiss.

Castiel leaned against Dean, but he felt him move slightly. He turned slightly and leaned his back against his wall and pulled Dean flatly against him. He licked Dean's lips and deepened the kiss to pull him closer.

Dean pressed up against Cas, his hand moving from around Cas's waist to clutch against the wall. His hand trailed down from Cas's hair down over his shoulder and across his chest.

Castiel made a small sound against Dean's lips, he arched slightly against him. He nipped at Dean's lips as he tugged at his hair. All he could think about was Dean and that was fine with him.

Dean felt a spike of arousal as Cas tugged at his lips and hair. His hand trailed down further and moved along Cas's thigh before hitching his leg up against Dean's hip so that he was supporting Cas against the wall and he could press even closer to him. He wanted to minimize the edges where one ended and the other began, hating the layers of clothes that separated them.

Castiel moaned into Dean's mouth, clutching the back of his shirt with his free hand. He felt Dean press against him and he shifted his hips into Dean and rolled them against his. He gasped a bit, making small noises as he pushed Dean closer in the kiss. It was addicting how Dean tasted and how he kissed him. He loved it so much and wanted Dean to keep doing it.

Dean felt a slight shiver run through him as Cas rocked against him, wanting more. Cas's moans and noticed were enticing him on, and he moved the hand that wasn't helping to hold Cas up to the hem of Cas's shirt and upwards, his fingers tracing lightly across his skin.

Castiel arched slightly against Dean's fingers, shivering under the touch. He dragged his fingers through Dean's hair, making it more messy and making hairs stick up. He continued to shift against him, hooking his leg around the back of Dean's leg to pull him closer.

Dean slid Cas's shirt up farther, wanting to feel his skin against Cas's. He broke off of their kiss to suck just below his jaw, leaving a faint mark that would fade quickly. He knew Cas would be louder without his mouth to muffle him, but for the moment he wanted to hear him.

"Ah...Dean..." Castiel swallowed, biting his lip. He felt a loss at Dean stopping their kiss and what was keeping him quiet. He shivered, moving his hands from Dean's hair to the side of his neck and holding him. He stopped himself from rolling his hips, knowing he could get loud. He opened his hands lightly, staring at Dean. He panted a bit, looking at him with dark eyes and slick lips.

Dean moaned softly at Cas's strangled words, pausing in kissing his neck to glance up at him. His breath caught as me met Cas's gaze, dark with desire. "God Cas," he murmured, voice thick with want before kissing him again roughly. He scraped his nails lightly across Cas's chest and moved his shirt up as far as it could without being taken off.

"Hey guys, I'm sorry for making you...oh." Charlie opened the door to see them in a mid makeout.

Cas's shirt was hitched all the way up with Dean's hand on his chest. He had Cas's leg hitched around his hip and she can see their obvious erections press against each other with them being so close to where she was. Their hairs were a mess and seeing them break the kiss to look at her, they had both complete dark looks. Cas had flushed cheeks and hooded lids and red lips where Dean looked more composed but not all that better. She saw a fleeting emotion of anger for someone interrupting them.

She blushed, "Sorry!" She said as she quickly closed the door. Kevin and Sam looked at her as they came up too. "You okay?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah. Yeah! I'm perfectly fine let's just go downstairs. Okay? Okay!" Charlie said flustered and fast. She pushed the other two down the stairs before they would try going into Dean's room.

Dean initially felt a flare of anger at being interrupted before he realized it was Charlie and that she had been apologizing, but she was already gone by the time he made the connection. He swallowed, turning back to look at Cas again. "I bet she'll knock next time." He murmured, breaking into a grin. He knew he would probably feel more embarrassed later, but he was too caught up in their moment to care just then.

Castiel barely registered what just happened, he was dazed to feel that embarrassed yet. His cheeks flushed a bit more as he licked the side of his lip. He just stared at Dean, "Do...do we have to go downstairs?" He said, his voice a bit wrecked and uneven.

Dean glanced down at Cas's lips before looking away from him so that he could actually think. "Yeah, I think we should." He sighed reluctantly, looking back at Cas again and clearly seeming pained by the decision. "After we... Tidy ourselves up a little." He added, glancing up at Cas's mussed hair.

Castiel let out a soft breath, feeling disappointment for not having Dean touch him anymore. He slowly moved his hands from Dean to fix his shirt and lowered his leg from Dean's hip. He tried smoothing down his hair and wiping his lips a little. He was still recovering from all the arousal that he was feeling so he was still dazed.

Dean released his hold on Cas reluctantly and stepped back, running his hands through his hair. He glanced up at Cas and smiled slightly, stepping towards him again and combing his fingers through his hair to help it lay more smoothly. His eyes flickered hungrily to Cas's lips and he desperately wanted to kiss him again, but he knew that if he did then he wouldn't have the willpower to stop again.

Castiel slowly looked up at Dean, leaning into his hands that were in his hair. He saw Dean's eyes flicker to his lips and he licked them a little. He was staring at Dean, wondering what he wanted. He wanted to kiss Dean a lot more but he said they had to go.

Dean glanced up to meet Cas's eyes, realizing that he was staring. He groaned internally, knowing it was a bad idea but unable to resist as he leaned forward and kissed Cas softly again. He managed to slide his fingers out of Cas's hair without messing it up again.

Castiel relaxed against Dean, leaning forward to kiss him. It was a soft kiss and he made sure to keep his hands to himself to not urge Dean on. He had to keep himself in control to not pull him in and kiss him all over again.

He broke the kiss first and stared a bit at Dean, "Dean..." he said softly. "I believe I am still quite aroused. I don't think it would be wise to go downstairs just quite yet.."

Dean nodded slightly in agreement- it would definitely be awkward for them to go downstairs as they were. "Yeah, you're right, I think we should stay up here for a while." He replied, brushing his thumb across Cas's cheek without actually thinking about it. He smiled slightly, thinking that Sam was right. They had all the time in the world together, but they couldn't keep their hands off of each other for one night with their friends.

Castiel slowly breathed out, he leaned into the touch. He knew how to calm himself down so it wasn't going to take him long. He cupped Dean's hand that was near his face and leaned into it. He felt so much better, his doubts were silly and he had Dean to reassure him. "Thank you Dean." he told him.

"Any time." Dean replied with a relaxed smile, keeping his hand underneath Cas's and against his cheek. "And I really mean any time- you have to tell me when you start thinking stuff like this or I won't be able to reassure you. I don't blame you though, I've done the same thing." He added, knowing he wasn't exactly the best communicator when it came to things like this either.

Castiel glanced up at him, "Okay. Then please, rely on me as well. I would want to ease your doubts and troubles." he told him. He leaned into the touch more as he kept their gaze, "I'm sorry that I had upset you earlier..." he apologized. "I feel much better after telling you." he said softly.

Dean shook his head slightly. "No, it's okay. You don't have to apologize. I understand where you're coming from- this all did happen pretty fast- and I kinda overreacted. It just freaked me out to think that there was a chance you might not have come back." He explained, finishing more softly than he'd begun.

Castiel's facial expression's softened, "I'd always choose you Dean. Even in doubt, I chose you to think about, to want to tell you the truth and what happened. I just wanted to see you one last time, give you a closing if you didn't want me anymore or if you did. I just wanted to tell you." he said. "It makes me happy now that you said it had kind of freaked you out because it shows how much you care. I already know how much you care." he added. "You didn't overreact. I would feel the same way. It's okay Dean, I understand why you acted like that."

Dean smiled, relieved that they were on the same page again. "Well, we sort of had another fight. It was still because we care so much, but it kinda counts." He said with a chuckle. "So are you ready to go back down and face the others?" He asked, not especially looking forward to the awkwardness with Charlie but knowing they were going to have to at some point.

"...I suppose better now than later." Castiel replied. He was thinking more clearly now and he felt embarrassed that Charlie had walked in and that they were even doing that after talking a bit. He blushed a bit, "Yes, I think we should go before we make things worse for being up here longer." he said.

Dean winced slightly at how embarrassing he realized it was, but he had to laugh as well. "At least she knows she didn't make us have too bad of a fight." He added with a grin, giving Cas one last quick kiss before moving his hand from Cas's face to lace their fingers together and walk downstairs.

Castiel smiled softly, letting Dean take him downstairs. Sam, Kevin and Charlie were watching another movie. They were all huddled up again and eating candy. Charlie had glanced up when they came down and she blushed a bit. Sam and Kevin looked over at them, seeing something slightly different about them but didn't say anything.

"Fix your guy's problem?" Sam asked.

"They definitely did." Kevin stared a bit, noticing a faint hickey.

"Yeah they sure did..." Charlie mumbled.

Dean couldn't help but grin at Charlie's blush, surprisingly not as embarrassed as he thought he'd be. "Yep, we got everything all sorted out. No big deal." He replied with a shrug. He certainly wasn't ashamed about what they'd been doing, and Charlie was the one who didn't knock, so he didn't feel as awkward about it all.

Castiel shifted his feet a little under him, feeling a bit embarrassed at getting caught like that and seeing Charlie blush. He blushed slightly too as he held Dean's hand. Charlie didn't tell Sam and Kevin, just said they were sorting it out and that they should leave them alone.

"Uh...so you guys want to watch the rest of this movie with us?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, sounds good." Dean replied easily, glancing at Cas and smiling slightly at his blush. He walked back over to where they had been sitting before and sat down, pulling Cas with him.

Castiel easily followed him, looking at him before pulling the blanket up and around them. He snuggled his face into Dean, wanting to hide his face a little from the embarrassment as it settled in.

Charlie glanced at them before pushing the bag toward them, "Candy?" she asked.

"Thanks." Dean replied, reaching in and randomly pulling out some skittles. He was glad she didn't seem too scarred by the experience. He realized that it was actually probably a good thing that it had been Charlie who walked in on them- although Sam or Kevin admittedly would have knocked. "Want anything?" He asked Cas, glancing down at him.

Castiel shook his head, "No thank you." he replied.

Charlie watched them for a moment before taking her bag back. It was really embarrassing to walk in on them like that but it made a lot of different emotions, she was a little jealous, awed, and kind of amazed at how they were together. It was interesting to see, mostly hearing all those rumors of Dean over the years, seeing him and knowing him personally really showed how rumors are over exaggerated.

Dean glanced up at Charlie, noticing she was still watching them, and wondered what she was thinking before he looked back at the movie and wrapped his arm around Cas again. He decided that she was probably feeling awkward about what had happened. Then again, it could have been worse- at least they'd both still had all of their clothes on, pretty much. He popped a few skittles in his mouth, his and Cas's slight fight forgotten and their comfortable mood returning.

Castiel let out a content breath and leaned on Dean. They eventually all fell asleep and cuddled up with one another. Castiel was half laying on Dean. Charlie and Kevin were hugging Sam and Sam having his arms slightly over both. They had a long day planned ahead tomorrow.


	18. Time to Party!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Christmas Party is here! The group will celebrate together before Christmas Eve and Christmas, which the two have big plans for.

Castiel stayed curled around Dean the next morning, not wanting to get up. He was warm and everyone else was just the same. Dean woke up slowly, feeling the warmth of Cas beside him and smiling slightly as he shifted slightly against him. For a few moments he forgot he was on the floor surrounded by his friends and just stayed snuggled against Cas until he woke up more and actually opened his eyes.

Castiel felt Dean shift a bit under him and he slowly blinked awake, "Hmm?" He made a small sound, rubbing his eyes a little. "Dean?" He mumbled softly. His eyes glanced up to see Dean's, "Good morning..." He said quietly.

Dean smiled sleepily, still holding onto Cas. "Morning, Cas. Have a good sleep?" He asked quietly, stretching out his legs. He glanced over at the others to see if they were already up, not wanting to wake them up yet if they weren't.

"Mhm...I always do with you." Castiel returned his sleepy smile. He snuggled back into Dean and slowly exhaled, he felt good this morning. It was nice. The others weren't awake yet so it was just them in the morning silence. Castiel glanced up at Dean, "Did you sleep okay?" He asked.

Dean nodded, looking back at Cas. "Yeah, it was good. I never would have thought the floor would be so comfortable but we manage to make it pretty nice." He replied. "Plus you make everything more comfortable." Castiel smiled at him, laying his head back down.

Kevin slowly stirred awake and sat up. He glanced over at them, he ruffled his hair. "Oh. Morning guys." He said, yawning.

"Good morning Kevin." Castiel replied to him.

"Morning." Dean greeted, yawning. It felt nice to wake up slowly and not have to worry about school or anything. "So we're going sledding today, right? And to the mall?" He asked, looking forward to hanging out again.

Kevin stretched his arms, "Yeah. We have a lot more things to do that involve being outside." He said. He stretched a little before getting up. He wanted to the bathroom and shut it.

Castiel glanced up at Dean, "Should we go get ready? I should make breakfast soon as well." He said.

Dean nodded. "Okay, let's get ready and I'll help you make breakfast. Even though I'm not as good as Kevin." He added with mock offense before chuckling and walking upstairs to change and get ready for everything. He dressed warmly since they were going to be outside so much, especially since he figured they'd end up in the snow a lot while they were sledding.

Castiel followed him upstairs and got ready as well. He made sure to layer his clothes. He felt snug after and moved his arms and legs to make sure that he could move. He went to the bathroom after Kevin and got ready before going downstairs and starting breakfast. Sam had woken up and woke up Charlie so they could get ready.

Castiel glanced around, he wanted to make pancakes so he figured that would be good, plus eggs. He started making the batter as Dean came down, "Would you like to cook the pancakes for me?" He asked. "I'm going to be making eggs." He said.

"Mm, pancakes and eggs sound good. I think I can handle making the pancakes." Dean replied, pulling out a bowl to mix the batter in and gathering all the ingredients he would need and starting to mix them together.

"Thank you." Castiel smiled, he whipped the eggs up and set down a pan and started frying the eggs. He hummed softly as he added things and glanced in the fridge if there was anything else. Everyone else came in and sat down.

"Thanks for making breakfast this morning." They all said.

"You're welcome." Castiel smiled. "It'll be done soon."

"Yeah, you're welcome you freeloaders." Dean teased as he set a pan on the stove and poured some batter in once it heated up. He flipped it and grabbed a plate to put the finished ones on, stacking them up as he finished before bringing the plate to the table. He went back to get syrup and silverware for everyone before sitting down. Castiel separated the plates and handed everyone their plate and whatnot and they got what they wanted. He got out extra ingredients so they can add and they slowly ate.

Charlie smiled, "So what do you guys want to do first today? Think we should go to the mall first or do all those big activities first?" She asked.

"I think the mall first since we won't be as tired and we can go home in our wet clothes if they do get wet." Kevin told her.

"Good point. To the mall first, get the shopping out of the way and then ice skating and or sledding." Sam agreed.

"Sounds good to me." Dean replied. "So if we're buying Christmas gifts, does that mean we're going to split up?" He asked, wondering what he was going to get anyone. Cas had said he just wanted that second date, but he still needed to think if some way to make it special enough to be a Christmas gift.

"Yeah, but we can go in pairs so there's less likely to lose people. I want to go with Cas." Charlie spoke up.

Kevin arched a brow, "Uh okay. I don't mind going alone." He said.

Charlie glanced at him, "Jealous that I'm going with Castiel?" She teased.

"Yes." Kevin glanced at her. It was silent for a bit after that but Kevin laughed first, "It's weird when I turn it around on you isn't it?" He smiled.

Charlie smacked his arm, "Oh fuck you." she said.

Sam laughed, "He's catching onto you. I don't mind going alone but I can pair up with Kevin or Dean, it's fine." He said.

Dean laughed at their exchange. "Kevin's starting to out smart you, Charlie." He chuckled before glancing over at Sam. "You can join up with me, Sammy." He offered. He could definitely help him out with thinking of gifts, and it would be easy to get something for Sam later when he wasn't around.

Sam nodded, "Okay that's fine." He said.

Castiel was a little curious on why Charlie wanted him to go with her but it was fine with him. Kevin ate the last piece of his food and put the plates away. "Okay let's get a move on. We have the whole day ahead of us." He said. Everyone slowly put their plates away and grabbed their jackets and everything.

"Okay let's go." Charlie smiled. "Should we take one car or no?" She asked.

"We can take one if you want. We all fit last time and no one messed my baby up as far as I could tell." Dean replied with a little chuckle as he grabbed his keys and went outside. He walked quickly to the impala and got in, starting up the engine to let everything warm up while he waited for everyone to get in.

Castiel followed Dean first, he always liked riding with Dean. Charlie hummed, getting into the other car. "I don't want to risk getting in trouble for getting your seats wet." She said.

Kevin and Sam went with her, "We'll meet you guys there." She told them before waving.

Dean waved back, definitely not minding that they were taking her car, though he was curious about whether it was really to avoid getting his seats wet. "Looks like it's just you and me." He said with a grin, glancing over at Cas.

Castiel nodded, "What do you want to get for everyone else?" He asked. "I'm not sure what to get for them yet, but I'm sure I can think of something. Is there something Sam would like?" He asked.

Dean thought for a moment before he shrugged. "I don't really know, honestly. Probably stuff for school, mainly." He replied. He wanted to get Sam a laptop for school or whatever else he would want it for, but that was definitely out of his price range for a gift.

"What do you think would be most beneficial to him then? What doesn't he have?" Castiel asked. "I have an idea on what to get for Charlie, not so much for Kevin but I can figure it out. Also you haven't told me what you wanted." He added.

"I don't know, I think I'll get him a laptop some year but I need to save up more for that." Dean admitted before shrugging. "What's your idea for Charlie?" He asked, unsure of what he was going to get her. "And I really don't know what I want. I'm having enough trouble thinking of stuff for other people, let alone myself." He added with a chuckle.

"Charlie seems to have a fondness over videogames and medieval things as to what I have gathered from knowing her. I believe getting her games of sorts of that will make her happy. Kevin seems to appreciate nice gestures and I figured he loves his mom quite a bit so I was thinking of getting him something as well as his mother. If you would like, maybe me and you can split on the payment of a laptop for Sam?" Castiel offered, glancing over at Dean. "I'll think of something for you. Is there something you wouldn't like?" he asked.

"Those wound like good ideas, I bet they like those." Dean replied. "You wouldn't mind splitting the cost of a laptop?" He asked. He knew that Cas had more money at his disposal than Dean did, but he wasn't sure how he felt about letting him pay for half if something so major- it wasn't exactly a grocery bill. "Anything's fine, really. I'm sure I'll love whatever you get me. You don't even have to get me anything if you can't think of it." He added.

"If you say that then I say so as well. If you can't think of something to buy me it is fine, I don't mind. Also if you can't, don't. You don't have to get me anything either." Castiel told him. "If that's something you think Sam wants and or needs than I am willing to split it with you. If it will make him happy then why not?" he said.

"Of course I'm going to get you something." He said, glancing over at Cas. "And I dunno, it's a lot of money and-" Dean broke off, knowing that Cas would disregard anything that made him not want to and really liking the idea of being able to get one for Sam. "Well, nevermind. If you really don't mind then I guess that'd be pretty awesome. Thanks." He said.

Castiel smiled brightly at Dean, "You're welcome Dean." he said happily. He glanced outside then back to Dean, "If you're going to get me something then I will get you something as well." he replied. "Besides, you're taking me on a date. I think that equals up to a gift doesn't it?" he asked.

"I don't know, I'd take you on a date any time." Dean replied thoughtfully. "I don't know, I'll figure it out." He chuckled as they neared the mall. "So have fun going through the mall with Charlie. That'll be fun, I'm sure."

"I'm curious on to why she would ask me to go with her. It will probably be fun, but I'm also a little nervous. She did dress me as a female once and I never really truly know what she's planning." said Castiel. "But have fun spending time with Sam. I've taken most of your time since we've been together and you two should bond." he smiled. "It'll be nice for you to spend some time alone with him while I won't be there to distract you." he laughed lightly.

They pulled up to the mall and eventually found a parking spot as did Charlie a few cars over. They all got out and started walking in. "So how are we going to do this? Meet up at a certain time? Meet back for lunch?" Charlie asked.

"I think it'll be fine to set a time and then after that we can go get lunch before we go ice skating and sledding." Sam replied.

"Uh, how about in 2 hours? Is that good enough?" Kevin glanced at his watch.

"That sounds fine." Charlie smiled, she grabbed Castiel's arm and started walking. Castiel stumbled a little after her before waving to Dean and the group and following after her. Kevin watched them go before shrugging and walking down a different way.

Sam glanced at Dean, "So where do you want to start? We have 2 hours to find everyone something or at least an idea of what to get them." he said.

Dean chuckled and waved slightly as Charlie dragged Cas away, wondering what she was up to. He turned to Sam and rubbed his hands together. "Two hours, okay. We can do this." Dean replied determinedly, though he didn't move yet. "Well, do you have any idea what to get anyone? I know what I'm going to get you but that's about it. I don't even know what I'm getting Cas." He said, frowning slightly. He was terrible at thinking of gifts for people.

Sam shrugged as he started walking at bit, "I know Charlie really loves Hermione from Harry Potter but she also loves Zelda and a bunch of games I never heard of so I'd probably stop by a game store and maybe get her something like it. Kevin plays the cello and he studies a lot so I might give him some things to tab his books and maybe a better backpack. He was complaining about it the other day so I might find him one. Cas...I know he likes cooking but I'm not all too sure." he told Dean. He looked through the windows of the stores before stopping.

A grin spread across his face, "I'm going to get him an ugly Christmas sweater." he said happily. "If he hasn't done traditions, why not make some?" he said as he walked in. "I might have an idea of what to give you Dean. I hope you'll like it." he added. He was picking through the sweaters, glancing at Dean before grabbing a few. He just assumed size so he think it'll be fine. He paid for them and was quite pleased. "Maybe we should do something this year Dean. You know, decorate the house, get a tree. Make something special for Cas. If you can't think of a gift, make it memorable." he said.

"Hmm, I think I'll get Charlie a game too then, and I'll figure something out for Kevin." Dean replied, grinning as Sam sorted through the sweaters. "That'll be perfect for Cas. I think decorating and everything would be nice this year, for Cas and everyone else." He added. It had been years since they had actually put effort into decorating, but he thought it could be fun to do together. "And Sam, you should know I'll like anything you get me." He added.

Sam smiled, "That's good to know." He said. "Let's go around and maybe we'll find things." He offered.

Charlie and Cas were walking around together. "Charlie? Where would you like to start first?" Castiel asked.

"Hmm, I already bought Sam and Kevin their gifts and I'm with you to get Dean a gift and I'll figure out something for you." Charlie smiled.

"Oh. That's fine. You don't need to." Castiel told her.

"Too bad." Charlie laughed. "So...I'm sorry about yesterday. That was really bad on my move. I'm sorry." She said shyly.

"It's okay. I'm sorry about that." Castiel blushed a bit.

"I'm so jealous of you two. I want something like that." Charlie whined a bit.

Castiel glanced at her, "You will. I'm sure you will." He said softly.

Charlie glanced at him, "Thanks." She said. "You really think so?"

"Of course Charlie, you're amazing, beauty, and smart. More things I can list, anyone that you deem is good for you, will surely be great themselves." Castiel smiled.

"You're so sweet Cas." Charlie smiled.

Castiel glanced around at stores with her, letting her pull him around and whatnot trying to find Dean something. Castiel had a few bags that he was carrying for her before he stopped in front of a store. "Charlie. I have a huge favor." He asked.

Charlie glanced at him, "Oh jeez, you serious?" She laughed a bit.

"Don't tell him." Castiel blushed profusely.

"Nah, I understand. I have things that I would keep secret too." Charlie went into with him and they soon came out and he let out a soft breath.

"Thank you." He said.

"I'm sure Dean will be happy." She said. "Also those were a nice touch." She waggled her eyebrows.

Castiel blushed. They had to return soon and they bought their gifts for everyone already. "Let's go back now."

Charlie smiled. "I had fun Cas." She said.

"So did I." Castiel smiled.

Dean and Sam shopped around a little more before heading over to where they were going to meet, each carrying a few bags. Dean smiled slightly as he saw Cas and Charlie approach. "So did you guys have fun?" He asked, glancing down at their bags but not attention to figure out where any of them were from.

Charlie grinned, "Yep, sure did." she said.

Castiel nodded with a smile too, "It was a bit weird at times but it was mostly fun." he laughed a little. Charlie laughed a little too, bumping shoulders with him.

"So we just have to wait for Kevin then." Sam told them. Kevin came right after he said that, carrying a bag that had bags in them. He glanced at them and Charlie smiled at him.

"Miss us?" she teased.

"Course not." Kevin laughed.

Charlie lightly hit his shoulder, "Liar." she laughed.

They went back out to their cars and put their bags away in the trunk. Swapping each bags so no one can be tempted to look who's who. "So there should be a place not that far from here that has a huge hill that people sled off of, we should go there and I know there's an ice rink right by that." Charlie told them. "Just follow me if you don't know." she said as they got in.

Castiel slid into the car after and buckled himself up. He looked over at Dean, "When do you wish to get Sam's gift?" he asked.

Dean got into the driver's side, starting up the engine and deciding to just follow Charlie since he wasn't entirely sure of where they were going. "I don't know exactly. I mean, it's not going to be hard to go without him there. Once Charlie and Kevin go home we'll pretty much be back on our own during the day, so I bet we'll be able to find some time to go." He replied, glancing over at Cas.

"That sounds fine to me." Castiel smiled. "We'll go then." he said. "I'm very excited for Christmas, to give everyone their gifts. I believe we should set a day before Christmas to spend with them so on Christmas they can actually spend time with their families." he offered an idea. "Then we can give their gifts and see their expressions and it'll be fun." he said excitedly.

Dean grinned, loving Cas's enthusiasm. "Yeah, that sounds good. Then it'll be like we get two Christmases." He added with a laugh. "It's funny, everything feels more Christmassy this year since you're around. And we'll get a tree and decorate, and it'll really be a pretty awesome Christmas." He told Cas happily, knowing he'd appreciate all the holiday activities.

"We're going to decorate a tree?!" Castiel's eyes twinkled looking over at Dean before he clapped his eyes together and grinned into them. He was so excited. "I've always wanted to decorate a tree." he chirped. "I can't wait!"' he laughed. "Oh! That means we can make eggnog right? That's a Christmas treat. Candy canes, cookies, sweets." he listed a few things before he covered his face with his hands. "Oh jeez. You made me all excited and bouncy." he smiled through his hands.

Dean beamed as Cas's excitement got him excited too. "I'm glad you're so excited and bouncy." He laughed, looking over at Cas. "Of course we'll decorate a tree. We'll do whatever Christmas stuff you want- the eggnog and candy canes and stuff sound awesome too." He replied.

"Thank you Dean. That sounds absolutely wonderful." Castiel smiled. He felt so excited now that he couldn't wait. It was so different to be excited about a holiday when he hadn't been last year or even thought about it before. He was so happy, "Really. Thank you. I'm very, very happy." he looked over at Dean with a bright smile. "I can't wait. I'm already too excited." he laughed.

"I'm glad you're getting into the Christmas spirit." Dean chuckled. "It's actually really nice- I don't really know anyone else who gets so excited about Christmas. It's contagious though." He added, definitely looking forward to doing those things if only to see how happy Cas would be doing them.

Castiel hummed softly, "I'm glad it is. I want you to be just as excited as I am. Well not really since I'm a bit too excited right now, but having just the same enthusiasm is nice." he said.

They soon pulled up to the snow hill and they all got out. "So you guys ready?" Charlie grinned. "It's going to be so much fun!" she said happily. "Let's go!" she dragged Kevin and Sam by the arms to the rentals to go get sleds.

"So, how do you sled Dean?" Castiel asked.

"It's pretty easy. You basically just sit on the sled and slide down the hill, and try not to fall over." Dean replied with a chuckle. "But even if you do, the snow's pretty deep so it won't really hurt." He added reassuringly as they followed the others more slowly.

Castiel nodded, "Okay. That seems fairly simple." He glanced at the people who were already there and they look like they were having a lot of fun. He was nervous but excited. He saw that there was people doubling up in sleds or they were going alone. "Dean, would you sled with me?" He asked. Charlie, Sam, and Kevin got the sleds and waved for them to follow as they walked up.

"Yeah, sounds good. Do you want to be in the front or back?" Dean asked as they followed Sam, Charlie, and Kevin up. He didn't mind either way, but he figured Cas might like to choose since he'd never done it before.

"I don't understand, what's the difference between the two." Castiel asked. He looked over at the people sledding as they got closer, most people wrapped their arms around the person in front or the person in the back steered. "I suppose I can be in the front but I do not mind to try both at some point." He said.

"Okay, sounds good." Dean said in response.

They finally got up to the group and they were waiting their turn. "So you guys want to go all at once, like we'll race each other." Charlie offered. Charlie was with Kevin and Sam was alone. "So what do you guys want to do? Go all at once or one by one?" She asked.

"Let's go all at once so we can race. And we can always go one by one after." Dean added, excited at the thought of racing down the hill since it had been a while since he last had the chance to go sledding.

Charlie nodded, handing Dean a sled that he can share with Cas and situating herself on one at the top. Sam easily just waited. Kevin looked at her, "Why do I have to be in the front?" he asked.

"Because you're smaller, now stop complaining and come here." she tugged on his arm and pulled him onto the sled. Kevin sighed.

Castiel looked at Dean, "Do I have to get on first or do you?" he asked.

Dean chuckled at Kevin's reluctance before glancing over at Cas. "I'll get in first since you said you'd take the front." He replied as he moved the sled and got on the sled. He settled in before moving slightly so that Cas would be able to get in as well.

Castiel got in after him, feeling nervous and excited. Charlie glanced at everyone as they were ready. "Ready. Set. GO!" she said as she pushed and everyone after, quickly sliding down the hill. There were smaller hills so they bounced and slid faster. Sam made it to the bottom first and got up pretty easily. He grinned as he won. Kevin and Charlie next and they had a little hard time getting up but it was okay. Castiel accidentally moved the sled and they fell out of their sled at the end and into the soft snow.

Castiel popped back up with a bright grin after, "Again! Let's go again!" he said happily.

Everyone laughed a bit and they sled for a bit, in the end they decided not to go ice skating since it was getting really cold. They all went home again and had lunch there before Charlie and Kevin had to go home. It was going to snow and it was going to be bad so they said their goodbyes and left. Sam took all the gifts he bought upstairs with him so he can wrap them and store them away.

Castiel glanced at Dean once it finally hit him, "Oh! I didn't get a gift for Bobby. What do you think I should get him?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, I didn't even think about it." Dean replied, feeling slightly guilty that it hadn't crossed his mind. "We can get something for him when we go out to get Sam's gift eventually." He said after thinking for a few moments. "I'm not exactly sure what we can get, but he's pretty laid back so I'm sure we'll find something."

"Okay. I'm not quite sure what he might like but I'm sure we'll find him something nice as well." Castiel smiled. He glanced up at Dean and leaned up to give him a soft kiss. "I had a lot of fun today." he said. "When do you think we should decorate?" he asked after a few moments.

"I'm glad you had fun- I did too." Dean replied with a smile. "Well, we don't have a tree yet, and if it's going to be snowing we might not be able to get one today. But we can put up the other stuff, like stockings and whatever you want now." He offered.

"I don't know anything about decorating so whatever you say I'll do with you." Castiel looked at him. "We can always do it tomorrow or we can do it today. I don't really mind." he added. "What are stockings for anyways? I don't understand their concept." he asked.

"Oh, well, they're basically just big socks you hang over the fireplace and on Christmas Eve "Santa" fills them with like candy and little toys and stuff." Dean explained before pausing and laughing. "It's a pretty weird tradition when I think about it, but that's what people do."

"Oh. Interesting. I have read about the Pagan gods of Christmas and this is not how it was written out. Not in the slightest. Strange how history has shaped down myths to be more suitable for children so they can earn some type of profit." Castiel hummed. "If that is what we're supposed to do, then I won't question it. We can put stockings up then." he smiled.

Dean looked at Cas for a moment before he chuckled. "Yeah, if you think too much about it they just seem weird. A lot of Christmas traditions are like that. Hell, even Santa seems like really creepy guy when you think about it." He laughed and shrugged. "But it's all pretty fun. We'll hang up some stockings then." He added, walking over towards a closet that seemed to be filled with assorted junk. He rummaged around for a few moments, sorting through the random things that had been put there, before he managed to pull out the stockings they had. There was one for Sam, Bobby, Dean, and their dad, but they hadn't actually hung any of them up in years and Dean doubted their dad would be back to use his anyway.

"How do you hang them up? Are there hooks to hang them?" Castiel asked, looking at Dean as he pulled them out. He rocked a little on the balls of his feet. "I know for decorating there are lights, a tree, wreaths, hollies, stockings. All sorts of different things but I wonder how people actually decorate? Do I have to nail them on?" he added. He glanced from the fireplace to Dean.

"Nah, you don't have to nail them. Not the stockings, at least. Some of the other stuff you can hang on picture frame nails and stuff, but these have hooks that you can set on top of the mantle." Dean explained, handing the stockings to Cas so that he could look through the closet again and find the hooks. "They're weighted or something so they can still hold the stockings when they have stuff in them." He added.

Castiel held the stockings in his hand, seeing them a little dusty. He waved them out to get the dust out and looked pleased when the color was a bit more vibrant. "Oh well, you would know better than I. I am book smart and you are life smart, so I'll just follow your lead." he said.

"Life smart, huh?" Dean asked with a chuckle, walking over to the mantle and setting down each of the hooks across the top. "That's a nice way to put it. Okay, you want to do the honors of hanging them up?" He offered, knowing it wasn't a big deal but figuring Cas would want to do as much christmas stuff as possible.

Castiel smiled brightly, "Yes I would love to." he said happily, walking over to Dean. "Do they have to face a certain way?" he asked. He hooked two facing out and then the other two facing the other way. He glanced up at Dean, "Should they alternate? Should they be facing toward the fire? Or should they all be facing one direction?" he asked.

Dean laughed lightly as Cas hung them. "You can hang them however you want. As long as they don't catch on fire, it's all good." He replied, glad that something so simple could make Cas so excited.

Castiel hummed softly, looking them over and tapping his chin. He flipped them around a bit until he just settled for them facing all in one direction. He looked happy after that, "It looks nicer that way. I don't understand why but the other ways didn't seem right." he said. He smiled up at Dean, "So we wait for Santa to fill it up with candy and toys huh?" he asked. "Sounds interesting." he laughed.

Dean smiled as he watched Cas rearrange them, thinking that the amount of time and thought he was putting into was really endearing. He walked over to stand beside Cas when he was done and admired his handiwork. "Looks good. I bet Santa will be so impressed that he gives us extra stuff." He replied with a grin, looking down at Cas.

Castiel laughed softly, wrapping his arms around Dean's shoulders and smiling at him. "You're so sweet." he commented. "I think it looks suitable." he said. "Maybe tomorrow and the day after tomorrow we can decorate and then have the party with everyone." he offered.

Dean smiled in return, wrapping his arm around Cas's middle. "That sounds really nice. I can't wait to get a tree though. The best holiday smell- after sweets and baked stuff, of course- is definitely Christmas tree." He told Cas. "It's been a while since we've had one, but I can still remember the smell." He said.

"The trees have a specific smell?" Castiel asked. "Well I mean of course they do, I just never had one so I wouldn't know the smell. I'll bake for us then. Then we'll have a lot of sweets in the house for Christmas." he said. He leaned up and kissed Dean's cheek. "Thank you for letting me spend Christmas with you Dean. Even before I came to live with you." he smiled.

"That sounds perfect." Dean replied, smiling. "I'm glad I invited you here for Christmas- even if it was like the first week I'd known you that I invited you over." He chuckled. "But it's a lot more festive and cheery with you here. Plus I get to give you some more firsts." He added happily.

Castiel tilted his head a little, looking up at Dean. "You like giving me my firsts to things huh? I feel like you take great joy in that." he smiled. "And even when you barely knew me, it meant so much. It was very meaningful to me Dean. That was very kind of you. You are such a nice person." he complimented.

"I do like giving you firsts. I like seeing you look so happy about this kind of stuff and knowing I'm the one that made you happy." Dean replied. "So you think I'm a nice person, huh? I'm sure there's loads of people that disagree." He said with a chuckle before realizing Cas wouldn't like the sound of that. "But what you think matters more to me than what they think, so thanks."

"If people don't think you're nice, it's because they have never given you the chance to." Castiel told him. "You always make me very happy, even if we are doing something I would already know. I would still be very happy." he smiled. He gently pulled Dean down to kiss him. He gave Dean an Eskimo kiss after. "I had a really good day."

Dean smiled at the kiss and laughed lightly at the Eskimo kiss Cas gave him. "I'm really glad you did. It was really fun, and I had a great day too." He replied honestly. "And every day of this break is going to be just as awesome." He added assuredly.

"Yes I'm sure it will be." Castiel smiled brightly.

They put off the decorating until tomorrow and went upstairs to snuggle. The next day was a busy day for them like the rest of the week until Christmas. They went out early to get Sam a gift and Bobby something as well. They spent a lot of their time in the electronic store, trying to get the best for Sam. Dean, of course, wanted to set a budget but Castiel just kissed him silent, saying it was okay to be spoiled once in a while. When they got home they had to quickly hide their gifts before asking Sam to help decorate.

"So what do you guys want to do first? We have some random stuff to put up in the house and of course the tree, which is probably the best part." Dean said after he'd pulled out all of the decorations from the closet and setting them together on the floor.

"Lights." Sam said first. "They probably take the longest and if we get them out of the way then we can all do the tree together." he added.

Castiel looked at the decorations, "I can put these put around the house, a wreath the door, these fuzzy like streamer things around. I'm not all too sure about decorating but I think it'll be easy." he smiled.

Dean glanced at Cas and chuckled. "Okay, so Sam and I will do the lights and you can handle the wreath and 'fuzzy streamers'. You can pretty much put them however you want, so it should be easy even if you've never done it before." He replied. Plus, if Cas took as much care with the decorations as he did with the stockings, they were bound to look good.

Castiel nodded excitedly, "I'll do my best." he gathered all the smaller things and started going about and decorating.

Sam laughed a little before going with Dean to help put up lights, it took them a little bit and Cas came to help Sam and Dean so it went by faster. Now all was left was the tree to decorate.

"Everything looks good so far." Dean complimented as he grab the stuff for the tree. "Okay, so the lights need to go on first." He instructed, pulling out a few strands and starting to wrap them around the tree. "Then the tinsel and ornaments and everything."

Castiel nodded and Sam just picked up the box of ornaments and handed them to Cas while he dealt with the tinsel. He followed after Dean and wrapped the tree. Castiel watched them, not wanting to miss seeing them put the tree together. Once he saw they were done he started putting ornaments randomly around the tree. He checked to make sure that they were spaced alright so there were no big gaps. He carefully put each on and handed the box to Sam once he couldn't reach the top. Sam laughed a bit but put the rest on for them. Castiel looked up at the tree, not yet seeing it all put together yet for being so close. "What goes at the top?" he asked.

Dean stepped back to admire the tree, thinking that it looked pretty good so far, and grinned at Cas's question. "Usually an angel." He replied with a chuckle, wondering what Cas would say since he was so adamant that snow angels weren't correct.

"Hmm...Why an angel?" Castiel asked.

Sam answered his question, "Well because it has to do with the birth of Jesus Christ. It's supposed to represent the star of Bethlehem that led the 3 wise men to the stable." he explained.

"Then why is it not a star?" Castiel asked. "It can be, but some people prefer the angel because it's more symbiotic and just for preferences." Sam shrugged.

"What do you two put on your tree?" Castiel asked.

Dean opened his mouth to answer before stopping and frowning. He glanced up at the top of the tree, trying to remember what they'd put on it the last time they'd had one. "I don't actually know. I guess we can put up whichever we want." He replied with a shrug.

Castiel stared at the top of the tree, "We can try both to see which one fits better." he offered.

"Okay, that's fine. Do you want to put it on?" Sam asked.

"I'm too short." Castiel replied.

"Want me to get you a chair to put it on?" Sam offered.

"I would be thankful if you did." Castiel smiled. "I think we should try the angel first for tradition."

"Angel first it is." Dean replied with a smile and nod, pulling out the angel for Cas to put on the tree. He moved a chair right up beside it and offered his hand to help Cas up before handing him the angel, stepping back again to see how it looked.

Castiel put the angel on and adjusted it until it was straight, "Do you like this one?" he asked, looking down.

"It's not bad. Try the Star." Sam handed him the star and Cas switched them. "Does that look better now?" he asked. "I kind of like the angel, not that it is correct to chose an angel to represent a star but it looks nice." he said.

Dean nodded in agreement with him. "I like the angel too. I just think it looks better. Plus, we hung socks on the fireplace for some guy to put candy in. I think it's okay if we're not correct with it." He said with a chuckle.

Castiel laughed, "Holidays sprout from weird traditions and myths. They bring joy and happiness while centuries ago they were feared." he said as he stepped down from the chair. "It's interesting to see how history has changed things and how things come about from what we do. The craving for knowledge never ceases and what we know is unlimited." he smiled before stepping back and looking at the tree.

Sam switched the lights on and the room lit up as well as the tree. Castiel's jaw dropped a little as he looked in awe. It was so pretty to see it all put together. "Wow..." he breathed out. "It's so pretty."

Dean's eyes widened slightly as the tree lit up, a smiling forming almost instantly across his face. He chuckled slightly at Cas switching from talking about the traditions and knowledge to saying the tree was pretty, but he definitely agreed- it was a really pretty tree. "It really is. It looks amazing." He breathed, grinning. He'd forgotten how incredible Christmas trees could look once they were all lit up and decorated.

"I love it." Castiel said after a few moments. "Thank you for letting me decorate with you." he smiled brightly.

"No problem Cas, you're spending the holidays and you never got a chance to do this so it's really nice to be able to be a part of showing that to you." Sam smiled. "It's been a while since we've done anything like this hasn't it Dean?" he asked.

"Yeah, it really has. We probably wouldn't have gotten around to doing it this year either if you weren't here, so I'm glad you got to help decorate." Dean replied, smiling as he looked over at Cas. "And it's going to look even /better/ once there are presents under it." He added with a grin.

"Oh, we can do that now." Sam perked as he went upstairs and came back down. He put them under the tree and he smiled, "I wrapped mine all up already so it should be done for everyone." he said.

Castiel rocked back and forth on his heels, "I believe I have most of mine wrapped as well, I had them prewrapped. Though some are not yet and I still have to do so." he added before going upstairs and getting what he had and placing them under the tree. "Yes, you're right. It does look better with gifts resting underneath it." he smiled.

"I haven't wrapped many of my gifts, but there's a couple." Dean said as he came down with a few messily wrapped things. "Wrapping is a pain in the ass, by the way." He added as he set them down by the others and stepped back again. "Now that's a tree." He said, grinning proudly.

Castiel nodded with a bright smile, "Yes it is. This has been really fun. I never had so much activity in a home before. Well except business parties, but they were never fun and as cozy as this. Thank you." he glanced at both of them.

Sam patted him on the back, "It's great to have you here Cas. It's no fun being alone in the house on holidays that are meant to be obnoxious." he laughed.

"Yeah, we're really glad you're here." Dean chimed in with a smile. "Hopefully it'll be the best kind of obnoxious a holiday can be." He added, chuckling. "I know it'll definitely be more fun with you here."

Castiel leaned over and gave Dean a quick kiss on the cheek. "That's very sweet of you." he smiled. He walked into the kitchen now to start baking.

Sam laughed lightly, "Yeah this is going to be an interesting holiday." he said.

Castiel spent the rest of the day baking, having Dean keeping him company as he stole little bites here and there. Castiel would already know Dean was stealing bites, no matter how sneaky Dean was being. By the end, Dean was boldly taking snacks from Cas.

Tomorrow was a lazy day for them, Cas had to stop Dean from eating all their sweets for tomorrow for their party. They got packages in the mail that were for Castiel, He got gifts and something he asked for Gabriel to send him. He asked for a bottle of scotch that he would recommend for Bobby to drink on nice occasions. There were gifts in there for Sam and Dean too. He didn't open his, it said that it should be opened away from Dean but he didn't tell Dean it said that. Just in case. Tomorrow was the party.

Dean was excited for their party, though he was a little nervous about how everyone would feel about their gifts. It had been a while since he'd gotten anything for anyone other than Sam and Bobby and sometimes his dad, and although he knew they'd appreciate the effort, he wanted them all to enjoy them. He was dying to know what was in all of Cas's packages, but he didn't ask. He'd get to open his soon enough, though being patient was hard.

All through the month Dean and Castiel had been testing the waters of what triggers his attacks and they have been able to minimize them a lot. It was almost just like how they were before which made Cas very happy, it was like a gift for himself. It was easier for them to take showers together and cuddle without the worry in the back of their minds. He snuck away a few times to finish Dean's gift and told Dean that he can't ever ask.

One day before Christmas and today was the party.

Castiel woke up like he normally did on a day to day basis, only he was a bit more energetic. He looked up at Dean who was cuddling him and gently kissed the bottom of his jaw. He snuggled himself back into Dean, smiling.

Dean's eyes slowly opened after Cas's kiss, moving his head slightly to look down at Cas., cuddled in his arms. He kissed his head and smiled slightly into his hair, already knowing that today would be good. "G'morning. Excited for today?" He asked, still sleepy but starting to fully wake up.

"Mhm." Castiel nodded against him. He slowly tilted his head up to look at Dean, he was really excited about today. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and then Christmas. It was going to be busy for them. He squeezed Dean gently, "I'm very excited." he smiled. "I don't know what to do with my energy." he laughed softly.

Dean chuckled and shifted slightly in bed, stretching out his legs. "Well, we can get up and get ready for the day before the others come. Maybe that'll help keep you busy for a little while." He replied. He loved how excited Cas was for all of this, and it made him excited as well.

"That's seems like a good idea." Castiel agreed. He kissed the side of Dean's neck again before slowly moving away. "Good morning Dean." He said. He got out of bed and started getting dressed, he hummed softly as he did before going into the bathroom. He came out a few minutes later, "Your turn." He smiled.

Dean stayed in bed until Cas had finished changing, getting up and going to the bathroom after Cas. He came out a few moments later, refreshed. "Alright, all ready? We can go make breakfast."

"Mhm. We can go." Castiel smiled, walking over to Dean and lacing his fingers through Dean's and walking him downstairs with him. They bought candles for the house so the house had a sweet faint aroma. Castiel walked them into the kitchen, "What sounds appetizing to you?" He asked.

Dean hummed lightly in thought. "I dunno. These candles are making me want something kind of sweet." He said after a moment, chuckling slightly. "Anything you want to make in particular?" He asked.

"Not exactly. I don't think we should eat so many sweets, do you think you're okay with eating omelets this morning?" Castiel asked him. He shuffled around the kitchen and looked at the ingredients he had, "I know I said no sweets but we can make French toast." He laughed lightly. "Or normal toast."

"That's true, we've got a lot of sweets. Oh, omelets sound good." Dean replied as he followed Cas into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, watching Cas look at what they had. "French or normal toast is good too, either kind is fine by me." He added with a smile.

Castiel glanced up at him as he placed the bread on the table. He smiled up at Dean before giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Okay, omelets and toast it is." He said before he started pulling out supplies and got to work. It was a quick make and he slid the plate to Dean when he was done.

"Thanks, Chef." Dean said with a smile as Cas passed it to him. "Amazing as always." He added as he started to eat. Even though Cas had been making him food for more than a month, he still definitely appreciated it. "So when do you think the others will come over?" He asked as he finished up his omelet.

There was a knock on the door right after he said that. "Now." Castiel laughed. He walked over to open the door and Charlie and Kevin were there.

Charlie was grinning at them, holding her gifts. "Merry Early Christmas!" She said. Castiel smiled, sidestepping to let them in. They slowly shed off their winter clothes, "Oof, it's really cold out today." She said.

Castiel went back to his plate to eat the last bites before putting away the plates. "It is, but it's a good thing we're not going outside." He said.

Kevin nodded, "Yeah, don't want to be sick before the holidays. Where do you want us to put these?" He asked, lifting their gifts up.

"Under the tree over there is okay." Castiel pointed.

"Oh you guys decorated! It looks really nice!" Charlie complimented as she walked with Kevin to put it under the tree.

"I know. I really love it." Castiel smiled.

Dean smiled as they came in and stood up from the table. "Hey guys. Merry early Christmas." He replied with a chuckle. "Cas did a lot of the decorating. I mainly did lights and got everything out. It looks pretty holiday-y though, huh?" He added, proud of how festive everything seemed.

"Yeah, of course." Charlie grinned.

Sam came downstairs a few moments later. "Hey you guys." He greeted.

Charlie clapped her hands together, rubbing them together. "Time to get this party started huh? I call for music and dancing. Obnoxious singing and a lot of sweets!" She proclaimed.

"You just make yourself right at home huh?" Kevin laughed.

"That's the point of friends." Charlie told him.

Castiel smiled, going back into the kitchen to reheat the sweets he made and take out food that they could eat so they wouldn't be hungry.

"You know, I have never once seen a mistletoe before even with all the Christmas bustle. It's like it's a myth." Charlie tapped her chin.

"It's because we're in a small area, it's probably more common in bigger places." Sam supplied.

"That's true. I never really thought about it but you're right, I don't think I've seen mistletoe either." Dean replied, thinking about it. "It's kind of weird since it's such a Christmas tradition, supposedly."

"Not like we're going to be kissing each other, you don't even look like the type to want to share your boyfriend and I sure as hell don't want to see Cas cry or something for kissing you." Charlie told them. "So music?" She asked. "And do we get to open these gifts today or...?"

Dean rolled his eyes at Charlie's first comment but chuckled. "Yeah okay, whatever. But hell yeah, let's put on some music or something because I'm /dying/ to tear into these presents." He added with a grin, glancing over at the gifts.

Sam reached over to where Bobby kept his music and he knew that he had records. He put on Christmas music and Charlie grinned, pulling Kevin. "Dance with me." She smiled.

Kevin sighed, going with her and laughing at her weird dancing. Sam bumped them and they danced, laughing at their weird dancing. Castiel glanced at Dean, twirling his fingers a little.

Dean laughed at the others dancing before he glanced over at Cas and smiled softly. He reached over and caught Cas's fingers. "Can I steal a dance?" He asked with a grin, pulling him closer before he could respond and rested his hand just above Cas's hip. He laced their other fingers together and looked down at Cas as they moved slightly to the music.

Castiel blushed, he felt his heart squeeze and he smiled bashfully. He gently squeezed Dean's hand, laughing a little. He rested his free hand on his shoulder and moving with Dean. "...Oh jeez. You're making me feel like I'm going to trip over myself." He blushed deeper.

Charlie glanced at them, "Awwww! I want a picture!" She scrambled for her phone. Castiel pressed his face into Dean's chest, not wanting anyone to take picture of him blushing so much. Charlie snapped a few pictures and grinned, taking pictures of Sam and Kevin doing silly poses. "Totally saving these. I'll send them to you guys later." She said.

Dean made a face at Charlie for taking pictures, but he smiled when he glanced down at Cas and saw him trying to hide his blush. "Don't worry, I'm not the best dancer but I definitely won't let you trip all over yourself- well, you could trip, but I won't let you fall." He corrected with a soft chuckle.

Castiel squeezed Dean, "I'll teach you how to dance one day." he lifted his head a little to smile at Dean and Charlie snapped a picture. Castiel huffed a bit, calming down his blush. Kevin laughed a bit with Sam. Charlie smiled, pocketing her phone before wandering into the kitchen to get something sweet to snack on. "Thank you Cas. I'll send you those pictures later, you too Dean." she said.

Dean smiled at Cas's embarrassment. "Thanks Charlie." He said to her, looking forward to having some pictures of Cas- especially with him blushing like he had been. "You'll teach me how to dance? That'll be something." He replied to Cas with a chuckle, looking back at him. "I'm going to hold that to you." He warned with a soft smile.

"That's fine. I'll be sure to fulfill it." Castiel smiled.

Charlie put a hand over her heart, "That's really cute. Oh, that also reminds me. Prom. Prom is coming up in a few months." she said.

Kevin looked at her, "Yeah. In a FEW months. It's not really that worth thinking about it now." he said.

"Well you don't know, but girls have to prepare in advance. They want to be the star of the night and the apple of someone's eye. It's a big thing for girls you know. Well. Most girls." Charlie told him. "Plus, the date, the dinner, the hair, the dress, the matching. It's a lot to think about." she added.

"And this is why I'm thankful I am a boy." Kevin replied.

"Seriously, that sounds like a lot of work." Dean replied, arching a brow slightly. He hadn't even thought about prom until Charlie brought it up.

Would people give them a hard time for going together? He brushed the thought off, deciding immediately that he didn't care what they thought anyway. But should he ask Cas to go with him to prom? They were obviously going together, but Cas might appreciate the gesture. He thought about it for a moment, wondering how he was going to pull that off, before remembering that prom was months away. He had plenty of time.

"Being a girl is difficult." Charlie nodded.

"And you make others suffer with you for it." Kevin rolled his eyes.

Charlie narrowed her eyes at him before tapping her chin. "You want to hear the sweetest thing that Kevin did for me?" her eyes slid over to Kevin and he tensed up.

Sam arched a brow, "What did he do?" he asked.

Kevin moved toward her and Charlie moved around the kitchen. "Well one time I was on my period and I was in a really shitty mood that I started crying and I wanted to go get cake but I couldn't so I called Kevin and-" she dodged him. "I'm not lying, 5 minutes later he comes over with chocolate cake, tissues, and movies. We cuddled and he brushed my hair until I stopped crying." she finished.

Kevin was blushing and he pushed her a little after she stopped. "I'm never doing that again for you..." he grumbled.

"Aw Kevin. You know you would come to my rescue." she grinned.

Sam laughed a little, "That was really sweet of you Kevin." he commented.

"I know, wasn't it?" Charlie hugged Kevin.

Kevin was pushing her away, "Gross. Don't hug me."

"Aww, that's so sweet Kevin." Dean said with a grin. "Don't try to hide it, we already knew. This just proves that you care." He smiled at Kevin's blush and laughed at the expression on his face as Charlie tried to hug him.

Castiel laughed lightly, looking at them bicker again. "You two have a very good friendship. It's very cute." he commented.

Charlie ruffled Kevin's hair, "Yup. He's my best friend." she grinned.

"More like your captive." Kevin mumbled.

"What was that Shorty? You want to go?" Charlie looked at him.

"No. I don't want to be crushed by an old hag." Kevin stuck his tongue out at her.

Sam sighed, "Now I feel lonely. I don't have someone to bicker with or whatever." he said.

Charlie and Kevin glanced at each other before they tackled Sam to the ground and looked at him. "We're your best friends." they said.

Castiel laughed again, "I'm your friend as well. We may play fight if you wish, but I would think I would lose to your daunting size." he said.

Sam laughed, "Okay I get it. You guys care. Now get off of me." he said.

Charlie just stayed there, "No. You're comfy." she laughed.

Kevin shrugged, "Good point."

"Hmm, I could probably still take you if that's what you really want." Dean replied to Sam with a grin. "That's another hazard of being a giant moose- people use you as a pillow." He added teasingly, laughing at Kevin and Charlie draped over him.

Charlie laughed, kissing Sam on the cheek. She got up after and Kevin did too, offering him a hand. Sam laughed as he got up, "Is that a challenge Dean? I can take you, one of these days. I will beat you." He declared.

Castiel laughed, lightly bumping shoulders with Dean. "Are you declaring a fight with your brother?" He asked.

"I guess so, if he's really crazy enough to think he can win." Dean replied jauntily, smiling at Cas before looking back at Sam. "But I don't know if you want me to beat you so close to Christmas- it might ruin your holiday spirit to lose." He added teasingly.

Sam arched a brow, "Oh really? And it would sour your mood if you lost to your younger brother." he shot back.

Charlie arched a brow, leaning on Kevin. "No fighting boys, it's Christmas Eve Eve." she said.

Kevin looked at her weirdly, "Really? Why would you even say that? Eve Eve? Really?" he said incredulously.

Charlie shrugged, "It's true." she said simply.

Castiel hummed softly, "No fighting, even if play fighting. Today is supposed to be bonding and loving." he said.

Sam looked at Cas before back at Dean, "Guess we have to postpone that...Don't want to mess up Cas's first "real" Christmas." he said.

Dean was about to say a comeback when Cas intervened, so he bit back his reply. "Alright Cas, Sammy and I will put a rain check on the play fighting." He replied with a smile. "Speaking of it being Christmas Eve eve, are we going to open these presents?" He asked, suddenly remembering them again and his curiosity spiking back to how it had been earlier.

"But it's not even night time yet, why are we opening them so early?" Castiel asked.

"Well...it is kind of early, but there's no harm in opening your gifts early." Charlie grinned. "Besides, I want to see your guy's faces." she laughed. "I want to record them though so you guys have to let me video record it." she said.

"Why would we?" Kevin asked.

"Why not? We're all friends and it's a Christmas party. It's for the memories! We can look back later and laugh together." she grinned. "Besides, isn't a Christmas thing to show your gifts when you open them? It'll be fun to see everyone's faces."

"So we're going to open them now?" Dean affirmed with a grin. "Awesome. And you might as well just let her record us. It'll be nice to look back on, and she's probably going to do it anyway so you can at least pretend you had a say in it." He added with a laugh.

"You have a point. She's stubborn and hard-headed." Kevin sighed.

"Hey! I just want something of today okay?" Charlie huffed. She got out her phone and turned it to the video camera. She stepped in front of everyone to the front camera. "It's Christmas Eve Eve and we're going to be opening presents. Everyone wave or something." She said.

They all looked at the camera, Sam waved and put bunny ears behind her and Kevin made an ugly face while Castiel laughed in the background. She turned around and point the camera at the group, "Well who wants to open gifts first?" she asked. Kevin walked over and took her phone.

"Hey!" she said.

He turned it to face her, "You go first since you wanted to record. So you can do whatever you wanted." he said.

Charlie looked at him, "Aww you're so sweet Kevin." she smiled.

"Shut up." Kevin rolled his eyes.

Charlie plopped down onto the sofa, "I don't know which one is mine." she said. Sam was the first to go, handing her his and stepping aside so Kevin can see her. Charlie tore apart the wrapping and opened the box and gasped, "You did not! You got me a uniform from hogwarts?! Oh my god thank you so much Sam!" she bounced up and hugged him.

Sam laughed and patted her on the back. "Glad you love it." he said.

Dean smiled, hoping that Charlie would like the game he chose out for her, since she talked about it a lot. "Here, Kevin, since you're being nice you can go next." He offered, picking up the gift that had a couple of books he remembered Kevin mentioning. "See the bad wrapping job I did is actually so you can't tell what's inside." He joked as he handed it to Kevin.

Kevin looked at Dean as Sam took the camera. Kevin slowly pulled it apart, once he saw the books he smiled. "You remembered. Thanks Dean." He said.

Sam smiled, "Okay Dean's next." He said. Charlie bounced, handing him her gift. She got him a Led Zeppelin CD and a few others.

Dean tore into his gift and smiled when he saw what they were, flipping through the CDs. "These look awesome, Charlie, thanks. I can't wait to listen to them- really loudly." He said, looking up at her with a grin.

They all exchanged gifts one by one and Charlie was beaming, she got video games, a costume, an actual tiara, and a zelda sword and shield. Kevin got books, a new bag, tools for studying and for his cello, comic books and a necklace for his mother. Sam got books and headphones. Kevin gave his gift to Dean it was a picture frame with pictures of all of them and some tools. Castiel received journals and writing pencils from Charlie and a sketchbook and stencils from Kevin. When Sam wanted to give Cas his gift, he thought it would be better for them to open it up on Christmas since they were going to be together, while Charlie and Kevin were not.

Dean decided to wait to give his gifts to Sam and Cas as well, though he was dying to see their reactions. He was pretty proud of what he'd gotten both of them and he knew they'd love them. He was surprised at how awesome all of the gifts that he'd gotten were- he liked everything that they'd gotten him.

Castiel had sat down after he opened up the journals, writing something down with his new pencils. There were ones that could do calligraphy and they wrote really well so it made him really happy. He closed it after and stacked them on top of each other, "Thank you everyone. I really love my gifts." he smiled.

Sam went upstairs really fast and came back down with clothes in his arm, he tossed everyone a sweater. "Christmas sweaters." he grinned.

"But I thought we'll exchange gifts on Christmas." Castiel tilted his head.

"It's fine. That wasn't your gift anyway." Sam replied.

Charlie opened up the sweater and snorted, "Ugly Christmas sweaters!" she laughed. She slid it on, it was a candy cane design. "And it's cozy. Thanks Sam." she smiled.

Kevin arched a brow, before putting in on as well, his was green with an elf design. "I feel ridiculous." he commented.

"Good. We all can be, together." Sam laughed, putting on the brown reindeer one. "Sorry if they don't fit, I was measuring by eye." he said.

Dean had a gingerbread one with little white stitching. Castiel tilted his head again, opening up his and it was a blue one with snowflakes and snowmen. "I don't believe they are ugly." he said. He put it on over his clothes and like Kevin, it was slightly big on him. The sleeves draped over his hands. He pulled on the ends to look at it. "I like it. Thank you Sam." he smiled.

Dean laughed as he looked at his, holding it up to see the design. He pulled it on over his head and it fit pretty well. "Thanks Sammy, now it's a real Christmas." He said with a laugh. He looked over at Cas and smiled, deciding not to mention how adorable he looked and save him from a blush. For now.

Castiel smiled, "This is the best Christmas." he said, "Thank you." he glanced at everyone.

Charlie grinned, pushing everyone together and grabbing her phone and standing in front of them, "Everyone say cheese." she said.

"Cheese.." they laughed a little staring at the camera and she took a picture but Castiel was confused, "Why say cheese?" he asked and everyone looked at him and Charlie just snapped pictures continuously at the faces they all looked at him with and laughed after at his confusion.

Dean put his arm around Cas for the photo, knowing they'd be good pictures. He glanced down at Cas when he'd asked and laughed at the confusion on his face. "Honestly, I have no idea." He replied with a chuckle. It felt like a perfect Christmas moment, and none of it would have happened without Cas. Dean felt a surge of affection and leaned over to kiss him quickly on the cheek. "This is definitely the best Christmas." He agreed.

Castiel's eyebrows rose up slightly when Dean quickly kissed him on the cheek. He looked over at Dean with a smile after, leaning up and returning the kiss to his cheek. After all that, they cleaned up the wrapping and spent the night just laughing and playing. Charlie was dying to play her new games and Kevin laughed a bit at how geeky she was. They ate dinner together before Charlie and Kevin had to go. It was late and they had to get home before the snow would start falling really hard.

"Night guys!" Charlie chirped, she was holding a container of sweets that Cas gave to her to bring home. "Thanks for everything, it was really fun!" she said.

Kevin nodded, "Thank you. Merry Christmas to you guys." he said as they both put back on their jackets and everything.

"Merry Christmas to you two too. Drive safely." Sam waved.

Castiel waved with a smile, "Have a wonderful Christmas." he said.

"Merry Christmas, see you guys later." Dean said as he waved, opening the door for them since they had all of their stuff and closing it again after them. He'd really enjoyed having them over, and having a pre-Christmas gathering had definitely been a good idea.

"We should do that again next year." Sam smiled.

"I agree. That was very fun. I loved it." Castiel nodded.

"Well we're probably going to have a new years party together with everyone so we get to do this again soon." Sam replied.

"Counting the end for the new year. I haven't done that either, but I don't think you two would find that much of a surprise." Said Castiel.

"No, I expected that much." Sam laughed.

Dean chuckled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's not surprising. But we'll make sure you get all the New Years traditions too, don't worry." He added, already looking forward to it. First an awesome Christmas, then an awesome New Years.

Castiel smiled, "That sounds like a plan." he said. He cleaned up the plates and put them into the sink.

Sam smiled at them, "Well I'll leave you two to talk because whenever we're together without anyone, you two tend to just fall into your world." he laughed a bit. "Today was fun, thanks for spending it with us Cas." he said before going upstairs. Castiel glanced at Dean with a soft smile.

Dean just smiled at Sam's explanation for leaving, not even trying to deny it anymore. He walked over to Cas and bumped his shoulder lightly with his own. "So you had a good pre-Christmas?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Yes." Castiel replied simply. "I had the best early Christmas." he smiled brightly. "It was like it was in the books, I am very happy. I thought that it would never happen to me but it has. I still think that maybe I dreamt today and it hasn't happened yet." he said.

"Want me to pinch you to prove it's real?" Dean offered innocently before smiling. "I'm really glad you liked it. And the actual Christmas will be just as good, maybe even better. We're kind of a weird little family," he admitted with a shrug, "But it'll still be awesome."

"I'm sure it will be. I get to spend it with you." Castiel smiled. "Plus, I would like to see everyone's face when we open gifts together." he said. He looked up at Dean, "If I get a date from you, does that mean you take me tomorrow or on Christmas?" he asked.

"Probably tomorrow since more places will be closed on Christmas Day. I mean, /if/ I'm taking you on a date." Dean added hastily, chuckling. "If it's your Christmas present then you're not supposed to know." He added, though he knew Cas already knew. As long as he didn't figure out the other part of Dean's gift to him then it was okay with him.

"Yes, if." Castiel laughed lightly. "I look forward to it then." he hummed softly, leaning up and kissing Dean. He knew that they were definitely going on a date since Dean always liked making him happy. It was selfish of him but he liked having Dean give him things sometimes. Of course he would always pay him back but it was nice to see Dean's effort to make him so happy. "I look forward to your gift." he said. He had surprises for Dean too and he knew that he didn't know what they were.

"I can't wait to see yours too. That's the one thing that kills me about Christmas- the waiting and having to be patient." Dean replied with a chuckle. "But you've actually helped with that too, since it doesn't feel like I've been waiting for forever. You're just a really good distraction." He added, smiling and kissing Cas softly.

Castiel draped his arms around Dean's shoulders and leaned up. He smiled against the kiss before kissing Dean again. He pulled away a little after, resting their foreheads together as he lightly ran his fingers through Dean's hair. "You can be patient. I've seen it." he said softly. "In more than one way." he laughed a bit.

Dean smiled and wrapped his arms around Cas's middle, resting his hands on top of one another on the small of his back. "I guess I can be patient sometimes, but it's never easy." He replied softly, enjoying the feel of Cas's fingers running through his hair. "Though it's nice to have you help me out." He added with a chuckle.

"Because I'm a good distraction." Castiel agreed with a smile. He lightly touched the edge of Dean's ear before draping his longer sleeves onto Dean's cheeks and lightly running it up and down. He laughed lightly, "I think these sleeves are a bit too large for me." he said. "I enjoy your sweater." he complimented. "It's cute."

"Thanks. I like yours too, especially the long sleeves. It's weirdly endearing." Dean chuckled. "I don't know why it seems so attractive- other than the fact that you're the one wearing it, of course." He added smoothly, grinning.

Castiel lightly smacked him with his sleeve, giggling at his comment. "You like my longer sleeves?" he asked. "I know I can bother you with them." he grinned, waving it in front of Dean's nose. He lightly brushed it across Dean's features before he pulled back his hands and draping them over Dean's arms. He smiled playfully at him.

Dean scrunched his face as Cas brushed his sleeves against him before he smiled and laughed. "Oh yeah? Well I can bother you with them too." He replied with a mischievous smirk before moving his arms around to hold the loose ends of Cas's sleeves, pulling them behind him so that Cas moved closer and Dean kissed him again.

Castiel's eyes widened a little and he made a small surprised sound and the tug. He slowly smiled after that and kissed Dean back. He opened his eyes a little before leaning back and away from Dean's kiss. He smiled the playful smile he had before. He just leaned back as Dean held his arms away from the kiss and Dean's face.

Dean loosened his hold on Cas's sleeves slightly so he was just holding the ends between them as if they were holding hands. "Yep, long sleeves are definitely nice." He murmured, returning Cas's playful smile.

Castiel wiggled his arms as Dean held his sleeves. He laughed a bit and swung them back and forth before he wiggled his hands into Dean's and held onto his hands. "It's fun playing with the sleeves." He said. He smiled and laced their fingers together and held them up higher, twisting one of their locked hands to kiss Dean's knuckles. "Are you ready for bed then?" He asked.

Dean smiled and turned his hand to stroke his thumb along Cas's chin. "Yeah, I'm ready for bed." He replied, keeping his hold on one of Cas's hands as he led the way upstairs and to his bedroom. "Are you going to be able to sleep tomorrow night?" Dean asked with a grin. "When I was a kid and we had real Christmas mornings, I could never fall asleep." He explained with a chuckle.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Castiel smiled. "I don't know yet. If you can't sleep, I definitely won't be able to sleep. I have never been so excited about a holiday. It's nice." He squeezed Dean's hand before slipping away from Dean and humming softly. He just figured to take off his pants to sleep. He figured sleeping in the sweater would be fine. "I hope tomorrow comes faster but I don't since I don't want it to pass too quickly." he said as he took off his undershirts, pulling the sweater back on.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I want it to get here fast but then last a while." Dean replied with a chuckle as he took off his pants and decided to take off the sweater as well, not wanting to be too warm. He climbed into bed and pulled back the covers, waiting for Cas to get in beside him. "It's going to be a great Christmas." He added softly. It had been years since he had actually looked forward to Christmas, since they had mainly been disappointing- trying not to get his hopes up, wondering if their dad would come home, pretending it was a normal, happy Christmas for Sam's sake. For once, he knew he wasn't going to be disappointed as long as Cas was there.

Castiel crawled in after him, wrapping his arms around Dean. He snuggled his face into his neck. "I know it will be. Anything is when we're together." He replied. He felt like anything turned out great even if something went wrong.

Dean smiled, draping his arm around Cas as well. "You're right, it's going to be awesome just because you're here." He replied. "Even the boring stuff is better with you, so of course the holidays are even better."

Castiel smiled, lightly running his hand up and down Dean's back. He was tired but he felt the burst of energy. He snuggled himself into Dean, chest to hips and then tangled their legs together. He sighed contently, "Thank you." He said softly. It was for more than one reason.

"For what?" Dean asked curiously, looking down at him and smiling slightly. He felt a sort of impatient energy in him that made him not the least bit sleepy, though he was comfortable and relaxed with Cas against him.

"Being you. Being with me. Spending time together. The memories. Making me so happy. I can go on and on about what that one thank you could be. Being alive." Castiel glanced up at Dean. "I'm just doing one thank you for all the things I should thank you for."

"Well, then thank you too." Dean replied with a smile, kissing his forehead. "For all of that and more." He added with a chuckle. "Being with you and inviting you for the holidays on the first week is known you was actually one of the best decisions I've ever made." He added with a grin.

Castiel let Dean's words sink in, looking up at him before gently kissing Dean softly then brushing his lips against Dean's cheek "Are you tired yet?" he asked. "I am cozy, very cozy, but I am not tired yet." He said. "Do you think we should go to sleep? So we aren't tired tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'm not really tired either to be honest." Dean replied with a chuckle. "But I guess we should at least try to sleep, if we can. Then we can get up early and enjoy the whole day." He added, though he knew it was easier said than done.

"Well we can try but I actually would like to kiss you until I am tired. Satisfied is a better word. Use time and energy wisely, also you use energy when we kiss." Castiel glanced up at him, smiling innocently. "Is that a yes?" He asked.

"How could I say no when you ask so nicely? I definitely want to be using my energy wisely." Dean replied softly, grinning as he leaned in and kissed Cas, moving one of his hands to cradle Cas's cheek.

Castiel scooted up slightly to make it easier to kiss Dean. He gently licked his lower lip before kissing Dean again softly. His fingers slowly traced the ridges of Dean's spine, just lightly caressing his back. He hummed softly, not hurried with the kiss, just enjoying everything about it.

Dean felt a light shiver follow Cas's fingers along his spine. He shifted so that he could prop himself up on one elbow slightly, giving him a better position to deepen the kiss. Dean moved the hand that was on Cas's cheek upwards to card through his hair a few times before resting in Cas's hair, Dean's thumb brushing it gently.

Castiel let out a soft breath, enjoying everything. He kissed Dean back with just as much enthusiasm, kissing each other until they were breathless and they had to break the kiss but they would stay close, panting over each other's necks and lightly kissing the skin before they went back into another long kiss. Castiel held onto Dean's shirt a little as they kissed, lightly just feeling the dips and edges of his torso.

Dean lightly felt Cas's fingers against his chest, leaving trails of warmth where he felt Cas touch. He shifted a bit closer to Cas, their legs still partially entwined, and broke off again when their breathing got a little more heavy. "I don't think I'll ever get used to how much I enjoy this. How much I enjoy you." He murmured, eyes flicking to Cas's lips and back up to his eyes again.

"I don't think I will ever either." Castiel watched his eyes, seeing them flicker to his lips before meeting his eyes. He smile softly, before rolling over and onto Dean and sliding his hands into his hair and looking down at Dean fondly. He gently brushed back Dean's hair before leaning down and kissing his forehead. "Are you tired yet?" he asked quietly.

Dean made a slightly surprised sound as Cas rolled over on top of him. His smile returned as Cas stroked through his hair, his eyes reflecting the same affection and love that Dean was feeling. "Not really." He answered softly, though he could probably sleep if he wasn't so completely absorbed by Cas. "What about you?" He asked.

"I'm not all that tired as well." Castiel stared at him. He watched his fingers brush back Dean's hair before looking back into Dean's eyes. He smiled before kissing the corner of one of Dean's eye. "We can try to sleep if you would like." he offered.

Dean smiled as Cas brushed his hair back before closing his eyes when Cas kissed the corner of one. "I dunno, I'm enjoying this." He replied with a light chuckle, not wanting Cas to move or stop. "But we can try if you want to." He offered, figuring that if Cas was able to fall asleep then he probably would too.

Castiel looked over Dean's face, always loving his little freckles. He glanced back up at Dean, "Do I have to move off of you?" He asked. He didn't know how comfortable Dean was with him squishing him. He gently stroked through his hair, enjoying the feeling.

Dean smiled, happy to let Cas continue to play with his hair since it was so relaxing. "No, I want you to stay right here. I don't know why you're so comfortable, but you are." He replied, chuckling. "I like having you this close."

"I love being this close." Castiel smiled at him. He continued to brush back Dean's hair, he could feel Dean's heartbeat. He let out a soft breath, he leaned down again and kissed Dean softly. "I love you." he said quietly.

Dean followed the kiss slightly as Cas pulled away before smiling and resting his head back against the bed. "I love you too." He murmured, resting his hand against Cas's leg and trailing his fingers back and forth across his skin.

Castiel laid his head down onto Dean's shoulder, leaning close to his neck. He rested one arm off the side of them while the other gently played with Dean's hair and lightly caressed his neck. It was quiet, but comfortable. He yawned a little, closing his eyes as he made a content sound. He was sleepy now. The gentle touches and their warmth was soothing.

Dean caught Cas's yawn, feeling more drowsy after he'd yawned. He draped his arm lightly across Cas's back, taking in a deep breath and smiling slightly as he closed his eyes. He liked being able to feel Cas against him, like having a physical sensation to remind himself of Cas's presence while his eyes were closed. "G'night, Cas." He said quietly.

Castiel moved his hand aimlessly until he found the blanket and pulled it up over his lower back and over Dean as well. He relaxed back onto Dean, "Goodnight Dean..." he replied. He was so warm and cozy that it was easy to fall asleep in the safe feeling that he got when Dean held him. He was really looking forward to tomorrow but he wanted what was happening now to last forever.

Dean let out a contented breath, Cas's warmth making a good blanket and making him feel relaxed. He could feel Cas's steady breathing, and the rhythm lulled him to sleep easily despite the anticipation he felt for tomorrow morning.


	19. My Gift To You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas Eve and Dean has plans for them today. He has to keep them a secret though, because who doesn't love surprises?

The next morning was slow for them. Castiel didn't wake up early, he was still sleeping away as he held Dean. He wanted to be up early but he ended up snoozing.

Dean started to wake up slowly before he suddenly remembered what day it was. His eyes opened wide and he glanced down at Cas, still laying on him and in his arms. "Cas," he whispered, shaking his shoulder slightly and grinning. "C'mon, wake up, it's Christmas Eve." He said excitedly.

Castiel made a small sound, slowly blinking his eyes and rubbing them. "Hmm? What?" He asked. Then he remembered it was Christmas Eve. He was awake now and he shifted a bit to look at Dean fully. "Good morning Dean." He smiled.

Dean smiled as he watched Cas wake up. "Good morning." He replied with a grin. "Did you have a good sleep with me as your bed?" He asked, laughing slightly. "You made a nice blanket."

Castiel laughed lightly, "It was a very good sleep. I could faintly hear your heartbeat while I was sleeping. It was very soothing." He said. "I'm glad I make a good blanket, then maybe I can sleep on you more often." He smiled.

"I like having you lay on top of me because I can feel you breathing." Dean replied before laughing lightly. "That sounds sort of weird out loud, but it's comforting. I know you're there when you're beside me, but it's nice." He explained.

Castiel brushed his nose against Dean's cheek before giving him a kiss, thinking it's cute that Dean thinks about what he thinks about too. He smiled at Dean, "Let's go get ready." He said. "We can't laze in bed on Christmas Eve."

"Hmm, we can't?" Dean asked with a teasing smile. "Alright, let's go get ready then." He said, letting Cas move off of him before he sat up and stretched his arms over his head. He let Cas get changed and use the bathroom before following after him, coming out again wide awake and ready.

"I want to wear my Christmas sweater." Castiel smiled. He laced his fingers through Dean's. "Breakfast then?" He asked before leading him to the kitchen and figuring out what he wanted to make. He was humming softly, Christmas songs as he went about. He made a simple breakfast for them, making bagel sandwiches.

Dean smiled at Cas's humming, joining in for some parts that he knew well. Everything felt perfectly content and generally cheery, much more happy than the Christmas Eves he had known growing up. He finally understood the spirit of the holidays that had been on the Christmas movies he'd watch every year. "So what sort of Christmas Eve stuff do you want to do today?" He asked as he started to eat breakfast, glancing up at Cas.

"Well..." Castiel smiled, "I would like to go on a date but who knows..." He glanced at Dean. "I'm not sure what things you do on Christmas Eve but I'll okay with anything we do." He said.

"Hmm, a date, huh? Well, you'll just have to wait and see." Dean replied with a grin, not wanting to come out and tell Cas anything. "There aren't a whole lot of Christmas Eve traditions that I know about, other than making cookies for Santa." He added with a chuckle. "So I guess we're free to do whatever we want."

"Do you want to help me bake cookies then?" Castiel asked. "I think we ate them all yesterday." He said. "Can't have Christmas without cookies." He smiled.

"Well, if you're offering..." Dean replied with feigned indifference before grinning. "And I'll help you, of course." He added. He wanted to keep Cas as busy as possible so that he wouldn't get too curious about the date. Dean had a plan, but he was afraid if Cas started asking questions he might slip up and ruin the surprise.

Castiel smiled, getting up and putting away their plates and taking Dean by the hand to pull him more into the kitchen. "Okay. What kind of cookies do you think we should make? Sugar, gingerbread, or maybe snicker doodle? Any is fine." He smiled.

"Oh, what about gingerbread? That's pretty Christmassy." Dean replied. "Plus we can make gingerbread men or something. I did that once when I was young and it was pretty fun." He offered.

"Do you have cookie cutters?" Castiel asked. "Gingerbread it is. I know that you can make gingerbread house." He smiled. "That's fun to do. I've seen them in stores."

"Oh yeah, a gingerbread house would be cool. We could put all the extra candy on it and stuff." Dean replied brightly as he bent down to find the cookie cutters in a cabinets. "I've never actually made a gingerbread house, but as long as we put enough icing to hold it together it should work out."

"I have never made one either." said Castiel. He was gathering the supplies they needed to cook the gingerbread men. He also looked around for other things to decorate a gingerbread house if they made one. "We can make miniature ones, they are easier to do and we won't have to do as much. Plus I would like to not have an upset stomach from eating that much sugar as you say we should put on." he laughed. "They should be about this big." he said, making a measure with his hands on how big the gingerbread house should be. It was about half the height of a water bottle and half a ruler wide.

"True, we don't want to get sick the day before Christmas. That looks like a good size." Dean replied, nodding slightly. He didn't really know how to build one, but he decided it couldn't be that hard. Either way it would taste good, so he didn't care much what it looked like.

"I'll get started on making the dough then." said Castiel. He easily worked and put together a batter quickly and made a dough when he mixed the ingredients up. He hummed softly, putting together just the base of the cookies and cutting the dough into two pieces before putting them on a sheet to be put in the fridge. He looked back at Dean after he was done with that small task.

"We should be able to make the cookies and house soon. Just letting the dough firm up." he said. He smiled at Dean, "So is this all you wanted to do with me today? Bake cookies?" he asked.

"Mm, for now I guess." Dean replied after thinking for a moment. He was determined to pretend that the date was a surprise, even if Cas knew, so he didn't want to confirm or deny it. "Anything you wanted to do?" He asked.

"Cuddle." Castiel smiled. "Always love cuddling." he said. "We can drink more hot chocolate and eat some cookies while we wait for midnight." he offered. "Hmmm, I'm not sure what else." he tapped his chin.

"Well, we might have to go to the store to get food for dinner." Dean added, managing to keep a straight face. Even if Cas already knew they were going out, maybe Dean could make him have doubts if nothing else. "I'm thinking chicken sounds good, or maybe something with beef. What do you think?" He asked innocently.

"Uhm...I know we had chicken lately, so maybe we can try cooking pork or steak? Does that sound fine to you?" Castiel asked, he was thinking about the food before glancing up at Dean. "Seafood might be nice too. I don't know. What are you in the mood for? What is normal to eat on Christmas?" he asked.

"Well, some people have turkey or ham on Christmas Day." Dean replied with a shrug. "But whatever, we can decide later. There's no rush." He added, not wanting Cas to put too much thought into something he wouldn't actually make.

"Turkey or ham? Hmmm, that does sound appropriate." Castiel hummed, "Maybe. We'll see when we get to the store then I guess. Maybe it'll give me more ideas." he said. He glanced at the clock before going back into the fridge and taking out the dough. "Would you help me roll this out? Then we can start making cookie pieces, then the other one can be for shaping the house." he told him.

"Yeah, no problem." Dean replied, glad Cas had let the subject of dinner go. He snagged a little piece of dough as he moved to get rolling pins, taking one half of the dough for him to flatten out. "It already tastes good." He complimented.

Castiel arched a brow at him, "I believe you have a thing for eating uncooked dough." he said while he took the other piece.

He flecked some flour onto the dough so it wouldn't break and make it easier to roll out. He flattened it out before taking an edge and cutting out 2 walls of the house before rolling it back up and doing it again and making a roof. He had just a little bit of dough left and he made sure the walls were about the same in width.

Dean shrugged and chuckled. "I love cookie dough." He replied simply as he followed Cas's lead, sprinkling flour on his part of the dough and rolling it evenly out.

Castiel glanced back at Dean, "Do you think you can make a cookie piece out of this leftover dough?" he asked.

"Yeah, that looks like it can make a cookie." Dean answered, looking over at the piece of dough Cas was talking about.

"Then would you like to make a cookie out of it for me then? Any shape would be fine. Unless you would like to make your own design for a cookie?" Castiel asked. He got a cookie pan ready for them to bake the cookies. He had already pre-heated the oven so they just needed to put the cookies on now. "Do you want help cutting out cookies?" he asked.

"Sure, some help cutting them out would be awesome." Dean replied, glancing up at Cas with a smile. He thought for a moment and took the piece of extra dough from Cas, forming it into a fairly even and smooth shape. "There, it's a bee. Kind of. I'm an artist." He claimed with a laugh, moving the cookie dough so Cas could see.

Castiel smiled, laughing a little. "Yes that's very artistic." he said. He hummed softly before he took a little of dough and made little wings and a tiny stinger. "I want to make you a cookie then." he said before taking a bit of dough and making a small heart and making Dean's initials. "Something simple. I can't think of something to make like you." he showed Dean, putting the small heart at the end.

Dean grinned at Cas's additions to his cookie bee. "Well, it's a lot harder to make an impala shaped cookie or something." He replied and chuckled, looking over at his initials and the heart-shaped dough. "I like it." He said decidedly, glancing up at Cas again. "But you already know I love everything you make or do." He added with a smile.

"You're so sweet." Castiel smiled. "I love everything you do as well." He said. "Now were done cutting the cookies, they should bake then we can start on the house later. The cookies have to cool down a bit before we use them. We don't want them to break. We also need to find candy to decorate with." He said.

Dean nodded. "Okay. I'm pretty sure we have some candy, plus I think Charlie left some the last time she was here." He replied. He looked around the kitchen, pulling out any spare candy they had that would make sense on a gingerbread house.

"Okay." Castiel smiled, cutting out a few more cookies and doing his best with the rest of the dough before putting them on the sheet and sliding it into the oven. He set the timer, "Now we can wait." He said. He walked over to Dean, draping his arms over his shoulders. "Was there anything you wanted to do today?" He asked.

Dean hummed in thought for a moment before shrugging as he moved his hands around Cas's hips. "Not really. I didn't have any plans for today." He replied casually. Internally, he was bursting at the seams with the desire to tell Cas what he had planned for later. He wanted to see his eyes light up and how excited he knew Cas would get, but he held his tongue. He only had to keep it a secret for a few more hours.

Castiel tilted his head slightly, "So we're going to spend the day in together?" He asked. He hummed softly, wondering what Dean was thinking. He knew something was slightly off, having him so excited yesterday but he was really casual today. He kept his mouth shut though, just waiting it out to see if Dean would say anything or just waiting. "We would still need to go to the store later if we need to buy food for dinner." He said.

"Right, right, we have to get food for dinner." Dean replied, nodding. "We can do that later though. There's no rush." He added, wondering if he should go along with this and get the food even if they wouldn't use it that night. If he could delay Cas long enough, they could leave the house as if they were going to the store but then go along with his plan instead.

Castiel smiled, brushing his head by Dean's and letting out a soft breath. "Okay. I'm not in a rush." He said. He hugged Dean closely, "Should we invite Sam to come down and help us make this?" He asked.

"Sure. But before we do..." Dean trailed off as he pulled Cas closer, kissing him softly for a moment. "Since we can't do that in front of him without him whining about our own little world." He explained with a grin, stepping back again. "Sammy, do you wanna build a gingerbread house?" He called up.

Castiel smiled, looking at Dean affectionately while he called Sam before turning back to the oven to look at the cookies.

"You guys are making a gingerbread house?" A voice came from upstairs before Sam jogged down. "That's why it smells nice. I haven't made one since middle school." He said, walking into the kitchen.

"Yes, were making a small one. We thought it'd be nice if you joined us." Castiel looked at him.

"That's nice of you guys." Sam smiled.

"Yeah, we can be nice sometimes." Dean replied jokingly. "So when do you think the cookies will be ready to make the houses?" He asked, realizing he might have called Sam down a little early.

"They should be done right about... now." Castiel replied, hearing the timer ding. He put on oven mitts and took out the cookies and put them on a cooling rack. "Wait for a bit then we can start making them." He said. He looked at the cookies, seeing the bee and the 3 others he made. He smiled, "Soon. We can make them soon." He told them.

Sam smelt the aroma of the cookies, "Smells like Christmas in here." He laughed lightly.

Dean inhaled deeply and grinned. "Yeah, it really does. It's awesome." He agreed happily, the spiced smell of the gingerbread making him start to get hungry. He was actually excited to make the houses though, so he didn't mind waiting to eat any extra cookies until after.

Castiel moved about the kitchen, taking out the little container of icing they had and scooped out some onto a bag and cut out the end so they can use it as a tool. He left the icing out and the candy.

Sam glanced at the cookies before between the two, "So do you guys not have plans today? It's Christmas eve." He commented.

"We are going to the store later." Castiel told him.

Dean glanced at Sam, trying to think of a way he could give him a heads up without tipping off Cas. "Yeah, we're going to go buy dinner and come back to funky town to make it." He replied casually, keeping his voice even. "Need anything while we're out?" He asked, wanting to keep the conversation moving.

"No. I think I'm all covered." Sam nodded a little. He kept a straight face, glancing at the cookies.

Castiel tilted his head, "Funky town? That's an odd wording." He commented. "Why would you use that." He asked.

"You know. Dean is probably just feeling silly from all the holiday spirit." Sam replied.

"Yeah, it's the holiday spirit. It's the most wonderful time of the year and all." Dean replied with a shrug, knowing Sam had gotten it. "So have they cooled down enough to use?" He asked Cas, gesturing to the cookies. He hadn't realized how difficult it would be to keep something so simple from Cas, but he knew it'd be worth it in the end.

Castiel tilted his head a little more at the two, scrunching his eyebrows slightly before turning back to the cookies. He lightly touched them. "They are still a little soft but I think that'll be fine. We can plan the house while we wait a few minutes more. How should we decorate it? Separate it into sections for each of us to work on?" He asked.

Dean nodded, noticing Cas's slightly suspicious look but didn't mention it. "Yeah, that sounds good. I can't guarantee my section will look good, but it'll taste great." He joked, hoping to lighten Cas's mood again.

"That's okay, we're going to eat it. Appearance does not matter." Castiel replied. "I can't guarantee mine would look good either. I have yet to ever do this." He said.

Sam nodded, "Well we'll all have a crummy but tasty gingerbread house." He laughed a little.

Castiel smiled, "That sounds about right." He said, touching the cookies again. "They should be good now." He gestured. He moved them off and set it on a clean plate. "How do we start?" He asked.

"Well the icing is like the glue, so you can stick on all the different candies to make it look more like a house I guess." Dean replied, taking one of the pieces and making a box with two lines intersecting to make a widow and placing some of the smaller candy along the lines of icing to demonstrate.

"Oh, okay. So this would mostly be covered in icing then." Castiel nodded at the instructions.

"Make your own walls first before sticking it together. Then it won't break." Said Sam.

"Okay. I'll do one wall then." Castiel took a piece and started decorating it. He hummed softly as he did. Sam took candy and ate a few before he started.

Dean watched Cas for a moment before continuing to decorate his, trying to keep it simple but also wanting to get in a lot of candy. He occasionally popped a few extra pieces in his mouth, glancing over at Sam and Cas. "So there's one more wall and two pieces for the roof. What do you guys want to?" He asked them.

"I want to have a roof piece." Castiel smiled. "And you two need to stop sneaking candy. I see that we're a lot less in supplies than when we started." He said.

"Sorry." Sam laughed. "I'll take the last wall." He said. "Then you guys can make the roof together." He smiled at the two before starting to work on his.

"How do you want to design the roof Dean?" Castiel asked.

Dean smiled sheepishly as Cas chastised them for eating the candy, having just put another piece in his mouth. "Well, we can make diagonal lines going across to make diamond shingle things and put candy along them." He suggested, glancing over at Cas.

"Okay, that sounds perfect." Castiel smiled. "We can do that then." he said as he started laying down the candy in an order to make an idea of what they could make. Sam concentrated on his piece, trying to get things just right as he glanced at Cas before taking a piece of candy.

Cas of course saw, "You guys are little monsters. Taking these candies when you think I don't see." he said as he continued working, not glancing up.

Dean laughed as he watched Cas aligning the candies. "Do you have eyes on the back of your head?" He teased, wondering how he could have seen Sam eating another candy. He got the icing and started laying down the lines that they would attach the candy to.

"Not that I am aware of." Castiel replied. "I just saw movement from my peripheral vision and it didn't look like it was meant to be for decorating." he said as he lined them up correctly on the icing.

"I don't know if that makes it better." Sam laughed. "I'm done with my side anyways." he smiled, sliding his pieces over.

"We're just about done with ours. Then you two can eat the candy." said Castiel.

"Thanks, Cas. You're a good mothering housewife." Dean joked with a chuckle. "I dunno what we would do without you. Well, we'd probably eat most of the candy." He admitted with a shrug, laughing.

"You two would get sick from eating all those sweets." Castiel told them. "Now can we assemble them?" He asked.

Sam nodded, "Who wants to do the icing while I hold the walls up?" He asked.

"Dean?" Castiel looked at him. "Would you do it?" He asked.

"Yeah, I can do that." Dean replied willingly, taking the icing. He carefully went along the edges as Cas and Sam held the walls up, being sure to put enough icing so that it would hold. He smiled once they had iced each edge, setting down the leftover icing and looking back at their house. "I think that looks pretty awesome. Definitely looks delicious."

"So should we eat it? Or should we eat the cookies?" Sam asked.

"We didn't even decorate the cookies yet." Castiel replied. "We should do that now before we eat all these sweets." He said. "Do you want to decorate your bee and these cookies? Then Sam you can do these." He instructed. "I'll do mine last." He had his three and an extra cookie.

"Okay, sounds good to me." Dean replied with a smile. He took the cookies he was going to decorate, making one look good and the other not minding as much how it came out. He put stripes on the bee and little lines on the wings, feeling pretty good about how well it came out.

Sam decorated his next and he made little buttons and wiggly lines on his. They were like those cliche cookies you found in stores. Castiel smiled at Dean seeing his bee and he had his cookies, when he had to decorate his, he made a little Dean cookie to go with his set. A heart, Dean's initials and a little Dean gingerbread. He had dotted little freckles on it with a toothpick. Then they were done.

"Can I eat one now?" Sam asked.

Castiel laughed, "Yes. Would you like milk?" he asked.

"Yes please." Sam smiled. "Thanks."

Dean smiled softly at Cas's cookie, having a good feeling that the gingerbread man was a cookie version of him. "I like your decorations." He complimented with a grin as he took one of his other cookies and took a bite. "Mmm, these are good." He added.

"Really? I'm glad they are." Castiel smiled. He reached for the spare candy they had and ate some. He didn't really want to eat his cookies since they were so cute. He glanced at the house, "Are we really going to eat all that candy and icing?" he asked. "That's a lot of sugar." he commented.

"Yes. That's the best part. I mean before you get sick of it." Sam laughed.

"Well, we don't have to eat it all at once." Dean replied, looking at the house. "I think we'd definitely get sick if we ate all that." He said with a laugh, looking back up at them. "We can always just break off what we want whenever we want it. It should last a few days without getting stale."

Castiel reached over and snapped a piece off the roof and ate it. "Very, very sweet." he commented. He licked the icing off of his finger. "But it's tasty." he laughed.

Sam finished the cookie he was eating before picking off some candy and eating it. "Seems like a good idea to save it." he said. He picked off a bit more and drank some of the milk he had before taking one last cookie, "Well I'm going to go upstairs then. Have a nice trip to the grocery store then." he said.

"Thanks Sammy." Dean replied with a smile. He left the bee cookie and broke off a piece of the roof as well, thinking that it was definitely too sweet to eat the whole thing. "So it looks like it's just you and me again." He commented, looking back over at Cas.

"You and me and the Dean cookie I have made." Castiel smiled. "I don't want to eat any of the cookies I decorated. They are too precious for me to try to nibble away at the cookie you. And the set of cookies I made together." he said. "So I settled for eating the sugar covered home." he laughed.

"I had a feeling that cookie was me." Dean chuckled. "Yeah, I didn't want to mess up the bee either. Plus there's plenty of the "sugar covered home" to go around." Dean quoted affectionately, enjoying Cas's phrasing.

Castiel glanced at him with a smile, laughing a little. "Don't mock me." he lightly nudged his shoulder against Dean's. "Yeah? You knew it was you? Then I did a good job." he said. "I love your bee." he commented before he perked, "Oh! We should take a picture of them! Then we can have it." he said.

"Yeah, you did do a good job. The freckles were a nice touch." Dean complimented with a smile. He took out his phone and snapped a couple of pictures of each of the cookies before turning his phone so Cas could see. "Those look good?" He asked, wanting to be sure before they ate them.

Castiel glanced at the pictures before he reached out to take Dean's phone. "May I?" he asked. "I want to take a picture of them all together and the house as well." he said. "They look really good though. I like those pictures." he smiled.

Dean nodded and handed over his phone. "Yeah, go for it. Take as many as you want and I'll send them to you." He replied, watching Cas take the pictures he wanted. He was glad Cas liked what they had made enough to take pictures of them- gingerbread had definitely been a good idea.

Castiel smiled at him before taking his phone and rearranging the cookies slightly and taking some pictures. He got them before he turned slightly to Dean and took a picture of him. He checked the picture and laughed a little. "I want this picture too then." he said.

Dean blinked in surprise as Cas took his picture before rolling his eyes and laughing. "What, you don't see enough of my face as it is?" He asked with a chuckle. "Alright, I'll send them all to you so we'll both have them." He said.

"Nothing wrong with having more than enough." Castiel smiled. "Plus, it's nice to show off who you are." he laughed lightly. "Thank you Dean." he said. He glanced at Dean before taking the heart shaped cookie and holding half of it in his mouth and offering the other side to Dean.

Dean grinned as Cas held the cookie in his mouth. He moved forward and took the other half of the cookie in his mouth, partially kissing Cas before he bit down into the cookie and broke it apart. He had to stop himself from laughing as it crumbled slightly onto both of them, cupping his hand under his chin to catch some of the crumbs.

Castiel couldn't help himself from smiling and giggling just slightly as he ate the piece that he had. A blush had dusted his cheeks since he kept his eyes open when Dean leaned in and it was making him flustered. He laughed a bit before and gave Dean a quick peck on the lips, dusting off the crumbs on them both. "I think the cookies turned out well." he smiled.

"They really did." Dean replied after he'd eaten his half. "That one was definitely the best." He added with a smile, noticing Cas's light blush. He moved a little closer, reaching up to brush the back of his finger against Cas's cheek. "And it looks like you liked that one too." He added with a grin.

Castiel smiled bashfully, leaning into his touch slightly. "I'm blushing, aren't I?" he asked. He huffed a little, but laughed. He glanced at the other cookies, "Do you want to save these?" he asked. "We can eat them tomorrow." he offered before looking back up at Dean. "You said they would be fine so I find no problem with wrapping them up."

Dean smiled and kissed one of Cas's slightly pink cheeks before he stepped back again. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Plus if we wrap them up I won't be so tempted to eat more, since I really don't need to eat anymore." He chuckled before collecting all of the cookies onto one plate and wrapping it.

"Should we put them in the fridge or leave them here?" Castiel asked. "I think outside would be fine." he added. "Well...now that we have finished baking, do you want to go upstairs? Go to the store? What are we doing to do for the rest of the time before we have to go get supplies to cook?" he asked.

Dean glanced at the clock, mentally figuring out when they would need to leave so they wouldn't be too late or early. "Yeah, okay, let's go upstairs for a little while. How about we go to the store in about an hour? I mean, so that way we'll get the food home and just start cooking from there." He added, still keep an air of nonchalance.

Castiel nodded slightly, "Okay." He agreed before taking Dean's hand and taking him upstairs. He walked them into their room before sitting down onto the bed. He glanced at Dean. "How come you haven't sat on my lap before? It's normally me sitting or laying on you." He asked.

Dean shrugged. "I dunno, I guess because I'm bigger and I can pick you up. Why, you want me to sit on your lap?" He asked with a grin, moving around Cas's legs and sitting on his lap tentatively. "I guess I'm afraid I'm going to hurt you or something."

Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean and squeezed. He smiled after, "I'm okay. You're not hurting me." He said. "I could pick you up. Only on my back though. I don't think I could carry you like you have done to me a few times." He told him.

Dean smiled and settled on his lap, resting his hands on Cas's shoulders. "Alright. This is kinda nice. You are pretty comfortable." He said. "Maybe I'll have to get you to give me a piggyback ride sometime." He added with a grin.

"Maybe." Castiel laughed lightly before pulling Dean close and catching his chin and pulling him in. Their lips barely meet before Castiel flopped down onto his back, taking Dean with him and watching his reactions. He laughed a bit, looking at Dean, "I got to act a little like you." he said, still having his arms wrapped around Dean.

Dean's eyes widened in surprise before he laughed. "So you're acting like me and I get to act like you?" He asked with a grin, partially lay on on Cas and partially supporting himself. "I like you being like this."

"Being like what? Being like you?" Castiel smiled. His eyes roamed a little over Dean's face before looking back at his eyes. "How do you think I act?" he asked, seeing as they reversed roles for a little bit.

Dean thought for a moment and grinned. "Well, there's the moaning. That's always nice." He replied with a chuckle. "And sometimes you're willing to go along with whatever I want, but sometimes you take a little more control." He continued, eyes glancing over his features, pausing on Cas's lips, before meeting his eyes again.

Castiel looks at him with an amused expression, "I said how I act Dean, not how I am when we have intercourse." he laughed lightly. He looks at Dean for a minute before his expression changed just slightly to something more flirtatious. "Hmm? You like me having control?" he asked.

"Well, you get a little bossy at other times too." Dean replied with a grin, noticing Cas's mood shift. "But yeah, I do like it sometimes." He murmured, smiling slightly.

Castiel ran his hands up and down Dean's spine, "Only sometimes? You still listen when I can be a bit bossy or take control, so how am I supposed to know if you don't like it?" he glanced up at Dean, smiling a little.

"Well, okay, I like it most of the time." Dean admitted, a slight shiver following Cas's fingers down his spine. "Alright, maybe all of the time." He decided with a small smile.

Castiel laughed lightly before tangling his fingers into the small hairs of Dean's neck and urging him down a little so they could kiss. "That's good to know." he said softly, kissing him again.

Dean smiled willingly moved down to meet Cas's kiss. He held himself up with each of his arms on either side of Cas, propped up on his elbows. He moved one hand to thread into his hair, enjoying the leverage of being above Cas.

Castiel made a pleased sound at the hand in his hair, he lightly played with Dean's hair as they kissed. His other hand continued to trace the ridges of his spine.

Dean moaned softly into his mouth, scooting up a little to give him easier access to Cas and moving his legs so that they were entwined with his. He was enjoying himself immensely, but he made sure he was thinking about time. As much as he would love to stay like this with Cas, he had to keep up with his plan.

Castiel felt Dean shift a bit, so their legs were tangled together. He took a small breath in feeling his leg kind of close to his groin but not touching so he relaxed slightly and pulled Dean in for a deeper kiss.

Dean followed him into the deeper kiss, holding Cas's hair with one hand and tracing across his chest with the other. He rested his hand just below Cas collarbone, being able to feel his breathing and his slightly quick heartbeat.

Castiel lightly licked Dean's lip before pulling away and looking at him. "My heart is beating really fast isn't it?" he asked, his eyes roaming over Dean's features.

Dean smiled and nodded. "Yeah, kinda. Maybe that's part of the reason you blush so easily." He suggested with a grin. "But I like knowing you react like that when I kiss you." He added, stroking his thumb across Cas's cheek.

Castiel smiled bashfully, blushing a little under Dean's touch. "It's because I'm very aware of you. I feel that flutter feeling in my stomach. It's only around you I'm like this." He said.

"I'm glad I'm the only that makes you feel like that. I'd probably get jealous if I saw you looking at someone the way you're looking at me now." Dean replied softly, smiling affectionately. "You're the only one that can make me be cheesy willingly." He added with a chuckle.

Castiel smiled, reaching up and touching Dean's cheek and lightly brushing his fingers across. "I love it when you become affectionate like this. It's very sweet." He said. "I am always with words but I love to kiss you because it takes away the words and it's just actions and I want to write those words of affections in each movement and caress." He said.

Dean leaned slightly into the touch, resting his chin on Cas's chest. "Sometimes it's so much easier to let actions do the talking. You're the only person I ever actually talk to about emotions and all that." He replied quietly. "We both kinda pushed each other out of our comfort zones. But I guess that's what happens when you're in love." He added with a smile.

"Yes you've changed me for the better. I love the person I have become when I'm with you." Castiel smiled. "I feel comfortable. It's very nice." He said. "I can be myself and more when I'm with you. I don't have to change myself to please you."

"Exactly." Dean replied with a grin. "It's like I didn't need to change to make you happy, but being with you changed me. Definitely for the better, though." He clarified. "It's the kind of change I needed but wouldn't be able to make on my own." He said, the thoughts coming out less clearly than in his head but hoping Cas understood anyway.

"That's very sweet of you to say." Castiel smiled brightly at him before leaning up again and giving Dean a soft kiss. He squeezed Dean closer to him, just feeling content. "I'm happy you tell me I have that effect on you." He said.

Dean smiled, glad he could make Cas happy by just saying how he felt. If that made him happy, Dean couldn't wait to see his reaction later on that night. "Well, you have lots of effects on me. All of them are good." He replied, grinning.

"I hope so. I don't want to have a bad one on you." Castiel replied. "Unless having intercourse is a bad influence, then I would let that one slide." He laughed.

Dean laughed. "Nah, I don't take it as a bad one. If anything, I'm the bad influence on you. Distracting you in class, teaching you to shoot guns, convincing you to climb dangerous trees. I'm turning you into a rebel like me." He joked and grinned. In the back of his mind he knew they'd need to leave fairly soon, but for the moment he was content to just talk.

"But you are teaching me about life and freedom and things I never experienced. I don't care if you are making me like you. I like following your lead." Castiel smiled. "If you would have never distracted me, I would have never talked to you. Also...you keep me company in class. I already learned mostly everything they are teaching so it is perfectly fine that you are. As long as we don't get caught that is." he laughed.

"I'm glad you like it- then I'll definitely keep distracting you. Without getting caught." Dean added with a laugh. He leaned up to kiss Cas lightly, stroking his hair. "Of course, you distract me just as much as I distract you. Maybe more."

Castiel leaned into the touch, smiling softly. He kissed Dean again, looking at him. "Am I really that distracting? I don't think I do much that is distracting." he said. "Not that I can think of." he added.

Dean arched his brows and smirked. "Cas, everything about you is distracting. What you say, how you think, even your eyes. Well, especially your eyes." He replied, smiling.

Castiel blushed lightly, looking up at Dean and giggling. He moved his arms around Dean's neck and pulled him completely down and hugged him. It was a really nice pressure.

Dean grinned and returned the hug, loving the sound of Cas's giggle. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling content, before opening them again and glancing at the clock. "Hmm, as much as I don't want to move, we should probably go now. To the store." He added, though of course Cas would know he meant to the store.

Castiel tilted his head slightly, scrunching his eyebrows a little. "Of course to the store Dean. Where else did you meant?" he asked.

Dean shrugged casually, glancing away and internally cursing himself for the slip up. Just a little longer and he wouldn't have to hide it- he just needed to keep it a surprise for a little while more. "I dunno. Of course to the store." He replied, looking back at Cas again to see him still looking quizzical. He moved off of Cas and sat up, not wanting to risk making anymore mistakes if Cas kept asking why he was acting strangely. "C'mon, we gotta bundle up. It's supposed to be really cold." He said as he stood up fully.

Castiel stared at him, nodding slowly. "Okay..." he dragged out slightly. He slowly sat up as well, he had caught Dean acting really weirdly today, more than once. So he figured it would have to do something with a surprise since he kept checking the time and brushing things off, but no point in getting his hopes up. Maybe he was just over thinking, he didn't want to get his hopes up then be sad later and make Dean sad. Though it was still really odd. He slowly put on a few more layers before slipping on his jacket and winter wear.

Dean glanced at Cas as he grabbed another jacket and pulled it on, knowing he must be suspicious. "So we're getting stuff for tomorrow too, right?" He asked, trying to keep with the charade as he walked with Cas downstairs and grabbed his keys. He looked over at Cas, double checking to make sure he looked like he would be warm enough.

"We're getting things for tomorrow?" Castiel asked. "Oh, since the stores are going to be closed because it's Christmas. I suppose we should, that would make sense. Then yes, we would be buying things for tomorrow as well, unless we make a lot of food from today seeing as you said turkey or ham." he said. He watched Dean, just answering his question but feeling a bit odd.

Dean was half listening until he realized that the stores would be closed tomorrow. He frowned slightly, realizing he hadn't thought about that- which meant that they actually would have to go to the store. He groaned internally as they walked out to the impala, trying to think of how he could make this work. It was cold enough out that the groceries would be okay in the trunk while they did the things Dean had actually planned, but they were going to have to hurry at the store to keep with his schedule. He started driving quickly to the store, knowing that the rushing would only make Cas more suspicious but not seeing any other option.

Castiel glanced at Dean, then back at the road. "Dean." He said first. "I would advise you not to drive quickly when there's snow out. It's dangerous." He told him. "I do not understand your hurry but we could have left earlier."

"Right, right." Dean replied, shaking his head slightly to stop thinking about the plan for long enough to focus on driving properly and slowing down- as painful as it was to go any slower. "There's no rush, I just want to get home again. Relax, enjoy Christmas Eve, all that." He said, making himself sound casual again.

"You will. We have tomorrow too Dean. There's no rush. It's not like we're not going to be spending it together." Castiel replied. "If you didn't want us to go to the store we could have just bought something. I don't really mind. I know that there's food at home but nothing to make Christmas food. Mostly if it's supposed to be a nice dinner." He said. "If we make enough today, maybe we won't have to cook tomorrow."

"Well, it really doesn't have to be a nice dinner. It's not like Sam or Bobby will mind." Dean said thoughtfully. "Okay, let's just not go to the store then." He decided, feeling relieved at the decision. He kept driving forward, passing the store just as he said they wouldn't go, and continued down the road instead of turning around.

"Then where are we going Dean?" Castiel asked, watching as they past the store. "I'm assuming, not home." He glanced over at Dean.

"Well you said you didn't mind buying dinner, right?" Dean asked with a shrug. "So we'll go buy dinner." He said vaguely, managing to keep a straight face despite wanting to grin.

"Oh. Okay." Castiel nodded. "That seems like the right thing to do." He said.

Dean knew Cas was going to figure it out soon, but since he still wouldn't have any idea where they were going, he didn't mind. They had a short drive to go until they got there, and he glanced at Cas to gauge his expression.

Castiel glanced at Dean occasionally before looking out window to watch where they were going but he had no idea where Dean was taking him. He was curious on what Dean was thinking but also nervous and a bit excited. He just had to wait it out, see what Dean wanted to do.

Dean drove for a minute longer, still managing to keep his smile at bay. "Okay, here we are. I think maybe we'll let Sam and Bobby fend for themselves tonight." He said as he parked in front of what looked almost like an outdoor mall. He glanced at Cas and finally grinned. "I'm glad you dressed warm."

Castiel blinked, looking out at the mall before back at Dean. "We're at a mall?" He asked. It took him a few moments before it sank in, Dean just said they weren't buying food for Sam and Bobby. A smile slowly spread across his face as he looked at Dean. "Is this what you've been hiding from me the whole day? To take me out without me knowing you will?" He asked. He glanced at the mall then back at Dean, he felt excited. He still didn't know what Dean was planning but it was clear he had planned this beforehand.

"Mm, it's kinda a mall, kinda a town center type of thing, but it's got something cool." Dean replied vaguely, grinning over at Cas excitedly. "Yeah, this is what I've been hiding. You can't know about your Christmas present early- it's not fair." He teased before getting out and going around to open Cas's door, much more smoothly than on their first date.

Dean smiled as Cas got out, taking his hand and leading him in between the buildings quickly. He glanced back at Cas and laughed, realizing he was practically dragging him in his excitement and slowed down a little and stopped suddenly. "Okay, here we are." He said as they took the final step through the walkway, which opened up to a large square surrounded by restaurants and shops that were all decorated for Christmas with lights and fuzzy streamers. In the middle of the square was a large, temporary ice rink, which had a huge Christmas tree completely covered in lights and ornaments at the rink's center.

"This place goes nuts for Christmas, so I thought maybe we could eat at one of these places and watch the ice skaters - they have those heating lamps and stuff so it's not so cold. And then maybe go skating ourselves, if you want to." Dean explained, realizing he was rambling slightly and stopping himself. He was watching Cas's reaction the entire time, hoping he'd like it as much as Dean thought he would.

Castiel followed Dean along, smiling and glancing around as Dean took him, not bothered by him just pulling him along. Then they stopped in front of an area and his eyes widened to all the festivities. There was so many lights, the little restaurants, music, people skating and of course the tree that had him in awe. He was completely blown away at Dean taking him here and he heard Dean ramble a little but he felt way too excited to care.

Castiel grinned at Dean, pulling him along this time. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started!" He said excitedly, he was looking from place to place before turning back along to Dean. "Sorry, I got too excited. Please show me where I am going." He smiled. He was rocking back and forth on his heels, holding Dean's hand with a completely elated expression.

Dean grinned, feeling an ecstatic relief that Cas liked it so much already. "There's this one restaurant- it's this way. I hope italian's okay." He said as he led the way, happily, to the place he'd chosen. It was clearly a restaurant that was popular for dates, most of the tables seating two, candles, and music playing that made it feel romantic but still fairly casual. Dean went up to the hostess stand, and the waitress led them to a table with a view of the whole square.

Castiel was glancing at everything as Dean led him around. He was very happy and was trying hard not to bounce with all the feelings he was feeling from coming here. He didn't let go of Dean's hand, even after being seated. He really just didn't care of everyone else, he was too happy to care if people stared or anything. He just cared about Dean and that was the best thing. He grinned at Dean from across the table, glancing around occasionally.

"This place is beautiful Dean, how did you find this place?" he asked. "I love it a lot. If you can't already tell, I'm practically vibrating from the excitement I am currently feeling." he laughed lightly as he squeezed Dean's hand.

"I came here with my mom to do Christmas shopping once. That was her last Christmas, actually, so I never really thought about this place until you said you wanted a date for your Christmas present." Dean explained, loving how enthusiastic Cas was. "It must've been a pretty good idea, then." He chuckled at his excitement, perfectly content with holding Cas's hand at the table. Last time it had almost been painful to sit without touching Cas, and he was more than happy to not repeat the process.

"This place is beautiful." Castiel's face softened, "Thank you for taking me here Dean. That means a lot." he said. He rubbed his thumb across Dean's knuckles. "Even if you didn't take me on a date I would have loved to just stay in bed with you and just talk like we were earlier." he said truthfully. "Anything we do together, even the simple things make me just as happy." he smiled.

"I would have too, but that wouldn't be much of a present." Dean replied with a smile as the waitress came by to give them their menus and take their drink orders. "But really, I'm glad you like it." He continued sincerely once she'd left again, meeting Cas's gaze. "I know that we both would've been happy doing anything, but I wanted to make it special. It's your first real Christmas Eve and our first together, after all." He added.

Castiel blushed lightly, "You wouldn't /have/ too. Anything or nothing would have been fine with me. Just spending time would have been more than enough." he smiled. "But thank you for wanting to make it special. You already made it special." he said. He just kept his eyes locked on Dean's and laughed a little. "This is more than anything I would have hoped for or thought of."

Dean smiled warmly at Cas's reaction. He wanted to tell Cas that if he liked this so far, he was going to love the last thing he had planned. Instead, he just smiled, deciding to save it as one more surprise.

The waitress came back then, standing by their table. "What can I get you, gentleman?" she asked.

"I'll have the spaghetti." Dean replied, not breaking eye contact with Cas as he gave his menu to the server.

Castiel smiled, biting his lip a little at Dean giving him his undivided attention. He didn't have a chance to actually really look since he was too involved with Dean to really pay attention to anything else. "Uhm...I'll have the same please." he side glanced at the waitress, but immediately went back to looking at Dean and he felt a blush dust past his cheeks at Dean looking at him like so.

Dean smiled and chuckled lightly, stirring his straw around in his soda. "I like that I can make you blush with just a look. It's like you know exactly what I'm feeling and that's making you blush." He explained.

Castiel laughed softly, "You wear your emotions in your eyes and it tend to stare at them a lot, so in a way, yes I can know what you are feeling, but just the thought of your emotions being directed to me makes me feel very fluttery and giddy." He smiled. "It's only because of you I blush with just a simple look, because I know that you are directing all your attention to me and it's very..." he hummed softly, trying to think of the word he wanted. "I don't know…" he laughed lightly. "See, you're ruining my writer side."

"So just me directing all of my attention on you makes you blush and fumble your words?" Dean asked with a smile. "Hmm, I'd say I'd pay more attention to you then, but I think if I focus on you any more often than I do then I'll end up crashing the impala or having no idea where I am." He replied, only half joking.

"You pay more than enough attention to me." Castiel laughed. "I don't think I need all your attention at all times. That wouldn't be right." he said. He tilted his head slightly at Dean, "But as me having your attention, you also have mine." he smiled. "We're just lovesick aren't we?" he laughed softly.

Dean smiled and squeezed Cas's hand lightly. "Yeah, we really are." He agreed with a chuckle. "But I like it that way. I think Sam's right- it's like we're still in our honeymoon phase, even after all the things we've been through."

"I don't believe we are married but I think that is an accurate description." Castiel smiled. He moved his leg a bit to hook Dean's leg under the table as the waitress came back with their food and they had to let go of their hands to eat. "Did you plan all of today? Do I just have to follow along to what you have prepared?" he asked.

Dean grinned as Cas hooked his leg around his, letting go of Cas's hand once they had the other contact. "Well, I have most of it planned, but I'm open to any suggestions you have." He replied, twisting some of the pasta around his fork and taking a bite.

"I have no idea." Castiel laughed lightly. "I don't know much of what is around here. If I were to make the date it would be a lot more like me bringing you out for a picnic and showing you things that aren't part of the city. I'm a more of a nature and simple date type." he glanced at Dean as he ate a little. "Is that bad? Do you not like that?"

Dean grinned and shook his head. "Of course it's not bad. I know you like that kind of thing, and I'd like it if you did. Maybe next time you'll have to take me on a date." He suggested with a smile, knowing he'd love whatever Cas thought of.

"I will." Castiel smiled. "I'll do my best to make it special for you too." he said. He lightly moved his leg around Dean's and held it between both of his ankles. They slowly ate through their food, talking a bit in between until they were done.

Dean pulled out his wallet and left a few bills on the table as he stood up. "So do you want to skate for a while? I can show you how." He offered, taking Cas's hand again as he stood as well. The sun had completely set by now, but the whole square was still lit up by the lights and the Christmas tree.

Castiel hadn't paid attention to the changing surroundings since he was mostly looking at Dean but now noticing that the place was darker than it was before the lights illuminated everything, it was a lot more captivating than it was before. "Wow..." Castiel breathed out when they walked out together. "It was beautiful before but this is breathtaking." he said softly.

Dean smiled and looked around, nodding. "Yeah, we got here just when I wanted to. We still had some sun to eat and now it's dark and lit up. It is pretty amazing, huh?" He asked, pausing so they could both look around before walking forward again. "It's even more awesome on the ice." He led the way over to where skates were being rented, each of them getting a pair and lacing them up. "Okay, you ready? I can help you if you need it." He said, offering his hand to Cas.

"Even if I didn't need it. I would still like to hold your hand." Castiel smiled, taking Dean's hand and slowly getting up. "You really had today planned out. I feel very special that you thought all the way down to the time you wanted to leave." he said happily. "Please teach me how to skate then." he asked. "If it's like rollerblading then I might be able to understand it." he added.

"Well, like I said, I wanted it to be special. I'm glad you appreciate my planning though." Dean replied with a smile as he took Cas's hand and walked over to the rink. "It is a lot like rollerblading. The same motions and stuff at least, so I bet you'll get the hang of it quickly." He said as he stepped onto the ice and turned so that he was facing Cas and still holding his hand while he came in.

Castiel squeezed his hand, keeping steady and slowly stepping onto the rink. He slid a little but he regained his balance and he was at least standing straight. He kept his hold on Dean's hand though, "If you will lead, I will follow." he said, not sure how moving will be for him but if it's like rollerblading like Dean said then he won't need much time to at least be able to skate a little.

Dean watched Cas stand and smiled in relief, glancing up at him and nodding. "Okay. No worries, I'll start off slow." He replied, easily sliding around on the ice so that they were face the same direction before slowly starting to skate forward. He made sure to watch where they were going, but still looked over at Cas to make sure he was doing alright.

Castiel watched his feet a little, tripping a little a few times before he was sure he was mostly steady, trying to follow in Dean's movements. He slowly skated after Dean and saw that it was almost the same, just a bit more with balance. Even though he was doing okay, he kept his hold on Dean's hand and smiled up at him, letting him pull him along at his pace.

Dean's grin widened as Cas started to get the hang of it. "See, you're doing awesome already." He praised as he started to speed up just slightly, keeping his hand in Cas's on they skated around the rink.

Castiel laughed lightly, skating a bit faster to keep up with Dean. He skated until he was even with Dean and leaned slightly into him. "I'm not scared of trying because I know you'll catch me if I fall." he said.

Castiel felt like he was dreaming, he really couldn't believe that this was happening but also he could. It was like those things that happened in books that were written again and again but he never got tired of reading them. He was so happy.

Dean smiled at Cas, about to reply before suddenly having an idea. He braked slightly and slid behind him, turning a little before tightening his hold on Cas's hand. He pulled him back, keeping the angle so that Cas turned spun around as Dean pulled him in, ending up against Dean's chest and his arm around Cas. "I'll always catch you if you fall." Dean replied softly before breaking into a triumphant grin at how successfully romantic he'd been.

Castiel held onto Dean, looking at him before his face flushed red. He held onto the side of Dean's jacket before burying his face into Dean's shoulder. He was so flustered about Dean but he was so happy. He didn't know what to do with his emotions, they were just everywhere. He felt like he was going to burst of emotions, like he should scream until all the energy ran out but he also wanted to hold Dean as close as possible. It was the weirdest thing but he loved it.

Dean's grin widened as Cas suddenly turned red, laughing as Cas buried his head into his shoulder. He wrapped his other arm around Cas as well, kissing the top of his head which was the only place he could reach and resting against him. A wave of happiness and love rushed over him, so glad that he could get such a perfect response from Cas. "I love you." He murmured into Cas's hair, still grinning.

Castiel mumbled against his shoulder, having the blush tinting his ears. "I love you too.." He held Dean tightly and just let the moment sink in. He felt so loved and happy that it was the best feeling he ever felt. Everyone around them didn't even bother them, it was Christmas Eve and everyone was being happy with their loved ones. It made everything perfect.

Dean smiled, more than happy to just hold Cas for a while, or at least until his blush faded. This was everything he'd hoped it would be so far, and they hadn't even gotten to the best part. He let out a contented sigh and kissed Cas's head again, chuckling softly at his pink-tinged ears.

Castiel was relaxed against Dean, he could feel the blush slowly calming down though it was still slightly visible. He just held onto Dean before he slowly lifted his head and looked up at him. He stared at him for a bit before he smiled and leaned up and gently kissed Dean. He slowly pulled away after and just looked at Dean fondly.

Dean smiled at Cas, still holding onto him and slowly moving around so that Cas was spinning slowly in place and Dean was turning around him. He grinned and chuckled, loosening his grip on Cas to kiss him again softly and entwined his fingers with Cas's again. "You want to keep skating?" He asked.

"Whatever you want." Castiel smiled. "I don't mind if we stay or don't. I just want to spend time with you." he laughed softly at Dean slowly spinning them, he squeezed Dean's hand. He let out a content breath, looking up at Dean. "I would actually like to kiss you a lot more affectionately than just a peck but we're in public." he said. "So I'm keeping myself in control until we get home."

"Hmm, then I have some bad news. We're not going home just yet." Dean replied with a grin, holding onto Cas's hand and skating towards the rink exit. "But you won't have to control yourself the whole time." He added, glancing over at Cas and smiling. After taking off their skates, Dean started leading the way back to the impala.

Castiel smiled, keeping in step with Dean and having a small bounce in his step. He glanced back at the place before looking at Dean. He was excited to see whatever else Dean had planned. "So if I don't have to control myself the whole time are you taking me somewhere more private?" he asked with a smile.

"You'll just have to wait and see." Dean replied vaguely, glancing over at him and smirking. He opened the door for Cas again before sliding in the other side and starting the engine, looking at Cas before he moved anywhere. "You're gonna have to close your eyes. Can you keep them closed the entire time without peeking, or do I need to blindfold you?" He asked, not wanting anything to ruin the next surprise, though he doubted Cas would know where they were going.

"I can keep my eyes closed." Castiel agreed simply. "I trust you not to let me walk into something if you expect me to walk somewhere." he laughed. He glanced over at Dean before pulling him into a kiss and then settling back on the seat. He leaned back and closed his eyes, "I won't peek." he smiled.

Dean smiled at the kiss and nodded approvingly as Cas closed his eyes. "Good. It won't take too long, so no looking." He replied, pausing a moment to make sure Cas wouldn't peek before shifting gears and starting to drive again, occasionally stealing glances at Cas to make sure he still had his eyes closed. A little while later he parked again and unbuckled, watching Cas. "Okay, give me a minute. I'll be right back, but you still have to keep your eyes closed, okay? I'll be right outside." He said as he started getting out. "No looking." He added again before closing the door.

Castiel laughed lightly in the car, hearing Dean moving about. He hummed softly, wanting to open his eyes but he told Dean he wouldn't. He was brimming with excitement. He couldn't wait to see what Dean had to show him and closing his eyes was making it so easy to just open them but he said he wouldn't so he waited.

Dean opened Cas's door a few moments later, pleased to see his eyes still closed. "Okay, I'm gonna help you out now." He said as he leaned over and unbuckled Cas, taking the opportunity to give him a quick kiss before taking his hands and helping him out of the car. He moved his hands to Cas's shoulders, steering him a couple of steps before stopping again. "Now you can- oh, wait, one more thing." He remembered suddenly, letting go of Cas and opening one of the car doors before coming back again. "Okay, now open your eyes." He instructed, smiling slightly as he stood behind Cas.

He had driven to the top of a nearby hill and parked in front of a cliff over looking the city, which was glowing with Christmas lights. The trees around them were quiet and peaceful, and the road they had driven on was silent. Dean had draped a few blankets across the hood of the impala for them to lay on, between the stars above and the city lights below.

Castiel slowly opened his eyes and he took a sharp intake, his hand covered his mouth as he stared out at the city. His eyes had widened at the sight and he couldn't form any words at the moment. He was just speechless at the sight and also moved that Dean had planned all this out. His eyes glazed over, being completely overwhelmed by emotions. He never had someone treat him so special like Dean did and it was something that always took him off guard. He was used to people not noticing him or treating him like he was nothing but with Dean it felt like he could be given the world. No one spared him a moment, but Dean gave him his full attention, like he mattered. A few tears spilled out, feeling his heart beating wildly in his chest. He was loved. He loved someone.

"Dean...it's amazing..." he said softly. He turned and looked at him, "I don't have words for it but..." he opened his mouth and closed it. He really didn't have any words to capture how he felt at that moment. He just cried a few more tears, just taken by how emotional and perfect this was.

Dean was grinning as Cas opened his eyes, though his smile faltered slightly when he saw the tears overflow before realizing they were good tears. One of his hands was hidden behind his back, but the other reached up to stroke away the tears with his thumb. "I'm glad you like it." He replied softly, cupping Cas's cheek and looking into his eyes with a genuine joy. He'd been able to make this special for Cas, and the thought filled him with happiness. "There's just one last thing I wanted to add." He said with a slight grin, moving his hand from behind his back and holding a sprig of mistletoe above their heads.

"A mistletoe..." Castiel said softly.

His gaze lowered to Dean's eyes and he was looking at Dean like he was the world, like nothing else mattered but him. A few more tears slipped by before he wrapped his arms around Dean's shoulders and leaned up into a kiss. He was special for once. Wanted. Dean loves him and treats him like he was so special. It made him cry a bit more as he leaned into the kiss, just wanting to spill everything into that touch.

Dean swallowed slightly at the look Cas gave him, so full of love and emotions he couldn't place, and then Cas was kissing him. He wrapped his arm around Cas, feeling the pure emotion through the kiss and wanting to return it. He lowered the hand that held the mistletoe, tossing the sprig onto the hood of the impala before wrapping that arm around Cas as well and holding him tightly.

Castiel pulled himself in tightly and lifted himself up slightly to kiss Dean fully. He was completely and over the moon in love with Dean, no one could ever tell him otherwise. He wasn't too young to know. He loved Dean. He was his everything and more, it was like taking the first breath of fresh air in your entire life and everything just seemed brighter and vivid than it ever was before. He broke the kiss for just a few moments to say something to Dean.

"Velim nenidis, nanan, nalanip, cos jahiris. Wezil dazi nahi namas cos nanama, solana dazi janad nadas nonis. Polo menan ranenos vinem pil nimasa sil dazis nanam calo dazi jimad. Pi var polosa." he told him in the most affectionate tone he had. He looked at Dean with the most tender eyes, still brimmed with tears.

Dean's breath caught slightly at Cas's expression and the pure love in his gaze. No one had ever looked at him like that, and he knew that he would never share such emotion with anyone else, no matter what happened. He cradled Cas's face in his hands, thinking that he was definitely the absolute most important thing he had in this life, while he waited for a translation.

Castiel leaned into Dean's hands, raising his hands to place them over his and curling his fingers around Dean's. "Come winter, fall, spring, or summer." He said softly. "When the suns sets or rises, until the last star dies. You will always have my heart, in this life and the next." He smiled up at Dean, squeezing their hands closely. "I am yours." He finished softly, feeling his heart flutter. He meant it and he knew Dean would know he meant it as well.

Dean smiled softly, stroking his thumb against Cas's cheek and wondering how he had been lucky enough to find someone so amazing, who loved Dean as much as he loved Cas. "And I'll always be yours." He replied quietly, leaning forward to kiss him again and pour his love through the action.

Castiel leaned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Dean again and tangled his fingers into the small hairs on his neck. He kissed Dean deeply, licking his bottom lip before lightly sucking on it. He stepped as close as he could get to Dean and pulled himself up a bit.

Dean moved his hands to wrap around Cas, holding him tightly and keeping him close. He pressed against Cas, turning them both slightly so that Cas was partially leaning against the impala. He tugged lightly on his lower lip and ran his tongue across after.

Castiel moaned softly into Dean's mouth. He pulled Dean into him so he was pressed fully against Dean and the impala. He lightly pulled in Dean's hair, just wanting to keep their contact and connecting. They didn't need words at that point. Their actions spoke for them and it was suffocating but also relieving to be so filled with emotions.

Dean echoed Cas's moan, already completely pressed against him but still wanting to be closer. He had never thought or hoped that Cas would be so touched by his plans, but he was infinitely glad that Cas could see just how much he loved and cared for him. He raised his hand to tangle in Cas's hair, savoring every movement and noise he made.

Castiel cupped Dean's face and kissed him again and again. He broke each kiss briefly to slide a few words in. "Love you." Kiss, "So much." Another kiss. "It hurts." He pulled him into another deep kiss until he was breathless from kissing, but he didn't want to stop in their connection. He panted against the cold air, seeing his breath.

Dean leaned his forehead against Cas's and closed his eyes, catching his breath for a moment but staying close. "I've never felt this strongly about anyone before, and honestly, sometimes it scares the shit out of me. But I love you, everything about you, and I wouldn't have it any other way." He replied, opening his eyes again to meet Cas's.

Castiel looked up at Dean, slowly letting out a breath and just staring at Dean. He closed his eyes after a few moments and let his words sink in after a few moments he opened his eyes again and looked at Dean. "Everything, even imperfections. They are perfect to me. I love everything about you too. From every strand of hair you have, to every freckle that kisses your skin, down to the soles of your feet. The way you laugh to the ways your eyes crinkle from smiling." He said softly. He reached out and found Dean's hand and lightly ran his fingers over it. "The roughness from all the work you've done, from taking care of your brother to your father. Taking care of the impala and all the hard labor you do on them." He slowly laced his fingers through Dean's. "When you're angry because you care too much, the protectiveness, headstrong, stubborn, childish, playful you. I love everything." He stated up at Dean. "Down to the name I can call you upon."

Dean tilted his head back, looking up and drinking in Cas's words like water in the middle of a desert. "This is why I don't care how terrifying this is." He said, looking back at Cas with a smile. "Because you're the hands that catch me when I doubt. You're always there, you always love me, just like you promised. I would give you the world and everything you could ever want if I could, and it would still be less than you deserve. But I can't, and you love me anyway." He shook his head slightly, in awe of everything Cas was and his love for Dean. "You love the parts of me I like, the parts I hate, and everything in between. And I love all those parts of you. I always will." He promised softly.

Castiel twisted his hand slightly to catch Dean's pinkie and hooked them together and brought their hands up and turned Dean's hands slightly and kissed his hand. "I will always love you too. I promise." He replied. He looked up at Dean again before leaning up and kissing him.

Dean tightened his arm around Cas's waist to pull him into a deeper kiss. He didn't have an more words to express what he was feeling, so he went back to letting his actions speak for him. He squeezed Cas's hand tightly, stroking his thumb along his knuckles.

Castiel moaned softly, pulling them more onto the car and kissing him deeply. He shivered lightly under the cold cat but it was also really hot from their skins touching.

Dean pressed against Cas, running his hand up his chest but becoming frustrated with the thick layer of jacket that they each had, keeping them painfully separated. He raised his hand to cup Cas's cheek again, desperate for more contact with his skin. He shivered slightly at the contrast of the frozen wind against his heated face. He released his hold of Cas's waist long enough to fumble against the side of the impala before he found the handle to the door and pulled it open, maintaining the kiss the entire time.

Castiel leaned into the kiss each time Dean pulled away slightly, chasing after the kiss. He felt Dean fumble with the door before he heard it open. He wanted to get into the car but that meant breaking apart and he didn't want to break the kiss. He just moved around with Dean until they got to the side of the car.

Dean was completely intoxicated by the kiss, pausing for a moment to enjoy it before gathering his mind enough to remember what he had been doing. He snaked his arm around Cas's waist again and pulled him off of the car, managing to make it around the door and helped guide Cas to the seat of the car. He kept the contact between their lips, the kiss being his first desire as they maneuvered.

Castiel followed in the kiss, pressing into the kiss when Dean was away so they were always kissing. He slowly laid back onto the seat and pulled Dean on top of him. He was panting a bit from all the kissing but he wanted more. He nipped at Dean's lip, tried catching his breath again before he kissed Dean again. He felt like he was drunk on kisses, that his mind was becoming dull but he couldn't get enough. He was addicted to those kisses that Dean was so willing to give him. He moaned softly into Dean's mouth.

Dean felt Cas's moan in his mouth, and the sudden realization that Cas wouldn't have to he quiet sent a shiver down his spine. He broke off the kiss, breathing heavily, just long enough to hook the handle of the door with his shoe and pull it closed. He returned immediately to kiss Cas's neck, sucking lightly just below his jaw and swiping his tongue across without leaving a mark.

Castiel tipped his head back and gave more room to Dean to kiss his jaw. He panted harshly, parting his legs and letting Dean slot himself in between them. He cupped the side of Dean's neck and holding onto his shoulder.

Dean eagerly kissed the skin that Cas exposed by tilting his head back, nipping at it lightly. His hand moved to work on the front of Cas's coat, pulling it open and running his hand down Cas's chest with a soft moan into his neck.

Castiel gasped, arched up. It was cold but it was electrifying against his hot skin. He shivered, feeling the coolness seeping into his shirt. He wanted to remove Dean's jacket but just let himself follow the flow of things.

Dean felt Cas shiver and moved up to kiss his mouth again, kissing him deeply. He felt a heat radiating from every point where he touched Cas, an addicting sensation that made him crave more contact. He sucked on Cas's lower lip as he pulled at his own jacket, shrugging it completely off and tossing it out of the way while he kept the contact of the kiss. The cold air hardly bothered him as he ran his hand across Cas's chest again.

Castiel tangled his fingers into Dean's hair and pulled him into a deeper kiss as he moaned from the contact. He broke it briefly, "You're not cold right?" He panted. "I don't want you to get sick."

Dean chuckled at Cas's concern, breathing heavily. Of course he would still worry about him getting sick in the middle of this sort of situation. "It's a little cold, but I'm warming up." He replied breathily, wanting to reunite his lips to Cas's skin.

"Then I'll warm you up." Castiel smiled softly before pulling Dean flat against him and shared their body heat. He started kissing Dean again, running his hands up and down Dean's back. He felt good with the warm heat but cold air, it was a good mix.

Dean grinned before Cas pulled him into another kiss, and he could feel Cas's warmth through their shirts. Cas's hands left electrifying trails of warmth where they brushed against Dean's back and he knew it wouldn't take long to warm up. He slipped his fingers underneath the hem of Cas's shirt, feeling his hot skin.

Castiel arched, gasping as he broke the kiss. It was a much more intense feeling the cool fingers against his bare skin. It was cold for a moment before it was hot. He moaned at the touch.

Dean's breath caught as he heard Cas moan. He had almost forgot how arousing the sound was when they didn't have to worry about someone overhearing. He pushed Cas's shirt up further, running his fingers upwards on his stomach before leaning down to suck on his nipple and circle it with his tongue. He wanted to get a response from him, to hear Cas while they had the chance.

"Ahh!" Castiel hand gripped onto Dean's hair then one onto his mouth by instinct. He arched up into the touch, it was cool over the newly exposed skin but having Dean's mouth over his nipple and the complete warmth and wetness of it shot a burst a pleasure through him.

Dean looked up at Cas through his lashes when he heard Cas catch his moan. He released his nipple to move up and kiss his neck before looking up at him. "We're alone, you can be as loud as you want." He reminded him, voice thick with desire. "I want to hear you."

Castiel slowly opened his eyes to look at Dean, panting as he moved away his hand. He shivered at the cool air now, gasping softly. He lightly tread his fingers through Dean's hair, swallowing a little. He wasn't much for words at that point, it was really stimulating to have the cool air but he tried to focused on the heat, it was a different mixture but not at all bad.

Dean's breath skirted against Cas's skin as he slowly moved down to Cas's collarbone skimming his nose across him. He bit down on his skin and sucked it, leaving a satisfying mark. He broke off suddenly to strip off his shirt, the sudden cold air against his hot skin sending a shiver up his spine before he returned to Cas's chest.

Castiel watched Dean as he quickly stripped off his shirt and wrapped his arms around Dean again after he came back and rubbed his hands up and down his flat back now, dragging his nails slightly. He bit his lip a little as he panted when Dean returned to his chest. It was a lot warmer in the car now than it was before but still had that light cool air between them.

Dean hummed in pleasure against Cas's skin, arching slightly as Cas's nails dragged across his back. He trailed kissed and bites down his chest and stomach before returning to take Cas's other nipple in his mouth and tease it with his tongue. He didn't feel the cold or anything other than Cas beneath him and the taste of his skin.

"Nghh!" Castiel dug his nails a little into Dean's skin, he tipped his head back a little before moving his hands out of his jacket to hold onto Dean a lot better and really feel his skin against his. They didn't really try to do anything sexual in a while so it was a lot of pent up lust and want from each other, mostly with the high of the feelings they were intoxicated with. Castiel felt completely comfortable, not at all bothered by it. It felt good to be able to love Dean so freely like he used to and now even more.

Dean shifted closer as he felt the skin of Cas's arms against him, brushing his bare chest against his stomach as he kissed his nipple again. He rocked slightly against the seat of the impala, pressed in between Cas's legs. Despite already resting against Cas, Dean wanted to be closer and to feel more of him. He moved up further so that he could meet Cas's lips again, completely drunk on the taste of Cas and mind only being able to focus on him.

Castiel was completely dazed, only noticing Dean slowly moving back up and he brushed his fingers by Dean's ear and played with the hairs as he kissed him. He pulled Dean more into the kiss and shifted his hips into Dean's a bit to get some friction. He hung onto him, just wanting him close but also more.

Dean moaned softly into Cas's mouth. He trailed his fingers down his stomach, brushing across the top of his hips before he hooked his thumbs into the waist of Cas's jeans. He dragged his hands around to the front of his pants, fiddling with the button before managing to undo them.

Castiel kept the kiss going as he felt Dean trying to maneuver him out of his remaining clothes, he lifted his hips and wiggled a little to help him out of the pants. His hands slid down Dean's back and into the hem of Dean's pants and a little under the band of his underwear. He trailed his fingers up and down a little, feeling the small dip in his spine and the little dimples.

Dean pulled off Cas's pants as he lifted his hips, running his hands up Cas's bare legs. He moved into Cas's touch against his back, moving to undo his own pants and shimmying out of them before tossing them out of the way. Every touch felt hot and electric, and Dean didn't feel cold at all. He released Cas's lips to kiss below his jaw again, tracing his tongue across his skin as his hands traveled back up his chest.

Castiel shivered lightly under Dean as he shifted his legs open a little wider for them. He slowly trailed one of his hands up Dean's spine and slipped into his hair, gently playing with it as he pulled. He tilted his head to the side a bit as Dean kissed his skin, making small noises at the treatment.

Dean was panting against Cas's skin, every noise he made sending shocks of arousal through him. He rocked into Cas slightly, moaning into his neck at the friction. "Cas," he breathed heavily, breaking off from his skin to look up at him with dark and wanting eyes. "You have to tell me what you want, what you're okay with." He said thickly, Cas's comfort being his first priority even with his mind scattered. They hadn't done anything this intense in a long time, and he didn't want to mess it up.

Castiel blinked his eyes, trying to refocus. He looked at Dean with half lidded eyes. "Ah...f-fingers are okay. I...uh...practiced a few times...to be comfortable." He confessed. "They're okay..." He said. He ran his hands through Dean's hair looking at him. "Are you mad that I had?"

The furthest the two have gotten was rutting against each other in their underwear but that's as fair as they have went. They've showered together and Dean, with permission, touched him lightly a few times so Cas would be comfortable with him. Cas trusted Dean, but he was nervous that he'll ruin the moment so he just went with what he knew would be okay.

"No, no, of course not." Dean replied, leaning up to kiss Cas again. "Whatever helps, it's okay." He was glad Cas was more comfortable now, and that was what mattered the most. He kissed Cas again quickly before turning and leaning across the center of the car, stretching to reach the glove box and pulling out a tube of lube.

Castiel glanced over at where Dean was reaching. He laughed a little, "Do you keep those everywhere?" He asked. "It always seems you have them at the right time." He noted. He remembered way back from when they first tried something at his house that Dean had brought a condom and a small tube. He was extremely grateful that he had it now but he couldn't help but laugh a little at how prepared Dean was.

Dean grinned as he returned to his position on top of Cas. "What can I say, I'm an optimist." He replied with a smirk, pressing against Cas and kissing him deeply again. He hadn't expected the evening to take this sort of turn, but he was glad he was always prepared.

Castiel wrapped his arms back around Dean's shoulders and leaned up into the kiss, wiggling his hips a little to get a bit more comfortable and make it easier for Dean.

Dean felt Cas moving his hips and made a soft noise of pleasure at the feeling. He hooked his thumbs on the waistband of his underwear and pulled them down, breaking off their kiss to suck at the soft skin beneath Cas's ear.

"Mmmm." Castiel moaned softly. He felt good, tilting his head to the side a little as he lifted his hips again. He pulled at his hair, running a hand up his back and tracing his skin.

Dean rolled his hips down as he pulled Cas's underwear all the way off. He saw him already leaking precum and desperately wanted to take him in his mouth or wipe it away, but he remembered what Cas had said and instead squeezed some lube onto his fingers. He leaned up to kiss Cas's mouth again, slowly moving to circle his entrance and gauge Cas's reaction.

Castiel made a soft sound against Dean, moving his legs slightly apart. He was okay, he wasn't scared. He rested his hands on Dean's shoulders to keep his hands close to tell Dean what he's thinking and to hold onto something. He shivered a little in anticipating, he missed the feeling of Dean doing something so intimate with him.

Dean felt Cas shift and took it as encouragement, maintaining the kiss as he slipped a finger inside. He trusted Cas to tell him if he needed to stop, so he didn't worry as he began moving his hand. He kept the rhythm for a few moments, taking his time and going slowly since this was the first time that they had gone this far in such a long time.

Castiel gasped into Dean's mouth, it was a lot different to have Dean do it then himself. He moaned softly, gripping Dean's shoulders a little tighter. He relaxed into the seat and let Dean slowly open him. He greatly appreciated the slowness.

Dean arched against Cas, his moan sending a spike of heat through him. He picked up the pace slightly, staying slow but pushing another finger inside. He broke off the kiss for a moment, panting, and scissored his fingers as he resumed the kiss with the same passion.

Castiel moaned, trying to indulge into the kiss but also wanting to savor the feeling of Dean's fingers in him. He moved his legs more apart, shifting them slightly. He felt Dean brush his fingers by his prostate and he whined at the pure pleasure that shot up his spine. It was like the first time he ever felt it and it was addicting. He moved his hips against Dean's fingers, trying to chase the feeling.

Dean moved his fingers against Cas's movement, using it to gain more friction. He broke off of the kiss again, sucking at the skin of his collarbone so that he wouldn't muffle any of the addicting sounds Cas was making. He found the bundle of nerves again, circling it teasingly before rubbing against Cas's prostate.

"Nghh! Ahh! Ah! Deaan." Castiel moaned loudly, he was writhing underneath Dean at his teasing, it was blissful. He arched off the seat as he curled his toes a little. He tipped his head back, squeezing his eyes shut as he dug his nails a little into Dean's shoulders. It felt so good, he hated the teasing but he also loved it.

Dean rocked his hips, Cas's moans making his arousal almost painful. He bit down on Cas's skin, swiping his tongue across after, and inserted another finger. He ran his other hand up Cas's thigh, holding onto his hip to help him as he moved his fingers inside, seeking out his prostate again.

Castiel was panting roughly, rolling his hips around on Dean's fingers and shifting his hips down onto them. He moaned from the stretch of Dean's fingers. "Oh!" He mouth opened a bit, making soundless moans for a second before he groaned. He felt the warm feeling pool in his stomach but it was just waiting. He pulled Dean up more to bite at his neck and leave his own marks. He sucked at his collarbone and the base of his neck, gently lapping at the marks after.

"God, Cas," Dean tilted his head back in pleasure and closed his eyes as Cas bit at his skin, completely consumed by his want for Cas. He stroked himself a few times, letting out a breathy moan as he slightly relieved the ache that had been building almost painfully. He sped his fingers up, rubbing by Cas's prostate repeatedly as he opened his eyes again to look at him.

Castiel had to stop biting Dean's neck because he was whining and whimpering from the treatment. He was panting in between moans, one of the hands that was holding onto Dean had moved back behind Castiel's head to hold onto the door. There was light sweat breaking out on his skin, his lips were red from all the kissing and biting he's been doing, and his eyes were squeezed shut from the pleasure. His back was arched as he shifted his hips around, he was leaking precum onto his stomach from the neglect. He knew that if Dean kept fingering him that he would cum, just from that alone. He was already out of his mind from all the pleasure that kept washing over him from Dean.

"D-Dean." he tried his best to say words, but they were a little slurred and half moans. "Gonna..Ah! F-finish..if...Unnh...you..continue." he whimpered again, arching off the seat and moaning. He was so, so painfully close.

Dean's ragged breathing caught as he looked over Cas. His appearance alone was unbearably arousing, and coupled with the wanton moans scattered Dean's mind with the pleasure of knowing he was the one causing this reaction in Cas. He could hardly make himself focus on what he was saying, completely caught in the moment. "Look at me, Cas." He murmured thickly, panting as he leaned slightly further over Cas and stroked him in time with his fingers, finding the sweet spot again.

Castiel whimpered, barely opening his eyes. His eyes were out of focus and dazed but he looked up to Dean's eyes. His breath hitched slightly as he tried to keep them open. Dean looked at him with so much want, his skin having just a light sheen of sweat. They had matching lips, red and swollen and his hair was messy from him running his hands through it. The light of the city in the back casted a bit of a shadow over Dean but he could still see his face. He squeezed Dean's shoulder with the hand that wasn't on the door. He felt Dean take him in his hands and he tried to keep his eyes open but once Dean brushed that one spot again he nearly screamed Dean's name as his back bowed and his eyes squeezed shut, seeing pure white. He curled his toes from the intensity of his orgasm. It splattered onto Dean's hands and over his stomach, coming up to his chest. His body was twitching from the aftershocks as he came.

Dean watched Cas come with erratic breath, nearly being pushed over the edge himself by just the sight of Cas in the midst of his orgasm. He never liked the sound of his own name as much as he did when it was coming from Cas in a cry of pleasure. He kept his hands still for a moment as he watched Cas start to come down before he released Cas and stroked himself, feeling as though he were going to burst open at any moment from the pressure that had been building inside of him.

Castiel was completely out of it, laying back onto the seat. He was refocusing his eyes while his mind was still blank from the pleasure. His body twitched a little from the aftershocks but he was starting to come around just slightly. He glanced up at Dean with half lidded eyes before he slowly slid out from under Dean and gently pushed Dean back against the seat and door as he crawled back over to Dean. He settled in between Dean's legs while he was on his stomach before reaching out and stroking Dean while his other hand slipped in between Dean's legs and lightly fondled and caressed his balls as he gently licked the top of Dean's cock. His tongue just licked around the head and slit repeatedly as he continued to stroke Dean. He was blanked out so the thought of this being disgusting was nowhere in his mind. He kept a tight hold around Dean and went slow going up but a lot quicker and rough when he stroked down. He kissed the top of the head as he continued to do all three things.

Dean willingly let Cas push him back against the door and seat, watching Cas move and inhaling sharply as he started to touch him. "Oh, shit, Cas," he moaned loudly as he rocked against Cas's motions and ran a hand through his hair. He could already feel the tension in his abdomen, each move that Cas made pushing him closer and closer to the edge of release. "I'm-I'm going-" he started, breaking off into another groan of pleasure before he could finish.

Castiel didn't exactly hear what Dean had said, too engrossed in his task. He was taken by surprise once Dean came and it came onto his face. He was stunned for a moment before he reacted. He opened his mouth a bit and wrapped it around the head and swallowed whatever was left that didn't accidentally hit his face.

Dean moaned Cas's name loudly as he came, tilting his head back against the door and squeezing his eyes shut as the hot waves of pleasure washed over him. He panted through the aftershocks, opening his eyes again and looking down at Cas. He pulled him up to kiss him, still in too much of a euphoric state to care, and moved to kiss and lick away what had gotten on his face.

Castiel moaned softly at the kisses and licks. He was still completely out of it, pliant and sated. He just laid onto Dean and kissed him, languidly and slightly sloppy.

Dean rested against the seat of the car and the door, loosely wrapping his arm around Cas and combing through his hair with the other hand. His breathing was evening out as he kissed him softly, gently stroking his hand up and down Cas's back.

Castiel made a content sound as he kissed Dean. He felt like jelly and sluggish. He cuddled closely to Dean, feeling a coolness on his back that made him shiver a little and goosebumps rise on his skin. He just leaned himself into Dean completely.

Dean broke off the kiss to let out a contented sigh, resting against the side of the door. He was completely exhausted, as he started cooling off he remembered how chilly it was in the car, despite the heat they'd produced.

"S'cold..." Castiel slurred. He curled closer into Dean, resting his head into the crook of Dean's neck. His mind was slowly catching up with him but his mind was mostly scattered. He hoped that Dean didn't mind too much that he couldn't think right exactly or needed him to do much. He wasn't sure how well his actions would be right now if he had to move.

"Mmm, hang on." Dean hummed drowsily in agreement, keeping his arm around Cas and reaching over to grab their jackets where he'd dropped them. He draped one over Cas's back and tossed the other over his legs, not feeling as cold himself since he had Cas covering him. "Better?" He asked, settling back down and returning to stroking Cas's back under the jacket.

Castiel nodded, letting out a soft breath. He was happy and exhausted. He was drowsy now, using so much energy and the high from the orgasm. They hadn't done many sexual things so it took a big toll on him.

Dean felt content and warm beneath Cas, enjoying the tired weight that had settled on him. The night had gone much better than he had expected, and he felt a happy pride that he had been able to do so well.

Castiel nuzzled a little into Dean before placing soft kisses onto his neck. He was too tired to move so lying on Dean was very comfortable. His thoughts were coming back together, "What time izit?" He asked softly.

Dean fumbled with the jacket draped over Cas, finding the pocket and pulling out his phone. He winced slightly as the phone lit up brightly before adjusting to the light. "11:15." He replied softly, stashing the phone back in the pocket. "We should probably head back at some point." He commented, though he didn't want to move.

Castiel nodded slightly, "Okay..." He said softly. "We didn' get to watch the stars." He commented. He wanted to view the stars and the city but he was still really happy to be lying in the car with Dean. The stars and lights would mean nothing if Dean wasn't there.

Dean thought for a moment. "We still can. We can get dressed and sit on the hood, wait until midnight together under the stars." He suggested, knowing that Sam and Bobby wouldn't be worried about them or anything.

Castiel smiled, "Sounds perfect." He said. He actually was a bit sticky and sweaty but it was okay. He didn't really mind, but the thought of moving didn't sound very easy at that moment. His legs still felt a little like jelly. He traced little shapes onto Dean's chest. "Movin' sounds hard." He commented.

Dean chuckled lightly. "It does. You're comfortable and warm." He replied, not wanting to move either. He knew it would be cold outside, and for now he felt content with Cas as a blanket. "I'll leave it up to you." He decided.

"Will you take me here again one day?" Castiel asked him. "I don' really want to move now. M' a bit sticky from the semen and movin' means I will be cold if I move off of you." he said. "Sides' I can hear your heartbeat. M' happy." he told him. He was warm and safe. It didn't matter if they went out to see the stars or laid in the impala, he was happy.

"Of course. We can come back whenever you want. Maybe for New Years." Dean replied. "I bet there'll be fireworks." He added with a smile, content to lay with Cas. He knew they'd have to get themselves cleaned up eventually, but he didn't want to move for a while.

Castiel nodded, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "New years..." he said softly. He would be starting a New Year with Dean. He smiled a bit at the thought as he laid quietly. He could hear Dean's heartbeat and his soft breathing, it was lulling him to sleep. He wanted to sleep a bit but he knew that they would have to be leaving soon and he didn't want Dean to be doing everything by himself, but even when thinking that, he was slowly drifting back and forth between sleep.

Dean listened to the quiet rhythms of their breathing, falling in time with each other. His eyelids started to droop and for a moment he considered just staying there for the night- except it was Christmas Eve. "If we lay much longer, I'm gonna fall asleep." He said, slurring slightly before shaking his head a little to wake himself up. "And we're gonna want to be home for Christmas morning."

Castiel made an incoherent sound at that before his hands was moving aimlessly in Dean's jeans until he found the keys. He groaned as he sat up a bit and leaned over the seats and started the car before lying back onto Dean and shivering a little. "We can wait a little." he said, "While the car warms up."

Dean opened his eyes fully as he felt the sudden cold where Cas had been before he grinned and chuckled. "That's a good idea." He commented as Cas settled back onto him, wrapping his arms around him when he felt him shiver to help him warm up again.

Castiel let out a content sound once Dean wrapped his arms around him again. He was adjusting himself until he was comfortable. He hugged Dean closely, nuzzling back into the crook of his neck. "You're so warm." he mumbled. He was latching onto Dean's warmth and wanted to cuddle closer since he was the one warm thing.

"And you're so comfortable." Dean murmured in response, lightly brushing his fingers through the hair on the back of Cas's head. He did feel warm with Cas acting as a human blanket, and the cold on his face didn't affect him. It felt incredibly nice to not have to worry about anyone overhearing them or knowing what was happening- for the first time in a while they were completely alone, with no one just a wall or two away. Even though they were often alone in Dean's room, this felt more intimate and peaceful.

Castiel made a pleased sound from Dean brushing his fingers through his hair, his face was pressed fully into Dean's neck. He was really happy. He was trying not to fall asleep but the warming car was making him sleepier. They still had to grab the blankets from the top of the car, get dressed, and go home. "You make me so happy." he murmured.

Dean smiled at Cas's words, genuinely glad that he could make him happy. "Good. I want to make you happy, as happy as I can. You already make me happier than I ever thought I would be." He replied quietly, opening his eyes fully to look down at Cas, nuzzled against his neck.

"Really?" Castiel asked, moving his head a bit to look up at Dean. "Is that really happy?" He asked. "Cause I don't want to think that you didn't think you'd be happy at such a low standard." He said.

"I used to hope that I'd end up really happy- wife, couple of kids, white picket fence- but I never really expected things to go that way. I figured I'd have a pretty boring, probably unfulfilling, life." Dean replied honestly, thinking about it as he spoke. "But you changed that all that. I'm already happier than I could have imagined, and it feels like I have more choices about my life than I did before. It's like before I met you, I was just going to follow the life I thought I was supposed to have. Now it feels like you've helped me find the free will to make my own decisions."

Castiel smiled, "That is very sweet of you Dean. Poetic in a way." he said. He kissed the underside of Dean's jaw. "I don't know what I was expecting from life, it was living day to day not knowing or thinking of the future, just the present where I was suffering. I think about the future now, as odd as that may seem. I think about where we are going to be in the future. I think about our lives." he told him. "I never thought about marriage before or children. I haven't thought that far into my life. I didn't know what I expected. Maybe I didn't expect to live for that long. That's why I haven't thought of it."

"I'm actually less sure of my future now, but I know you'll be there and that's all that matters to me." Dean replied before frowning, his brow creasing slightly at what Cas had said. "You didn't expect to live that long? What does that mean?" He asked, clearly not liking the sound of it.

"I don't know what I expected in my future. Every day was like scraping by on the slimming willpower I had. I didn't know if one day someone would go too far and it would just end. I didn't know how someone's actions would turn out like, maybe I would make a wrong decision myself and harm myself. Maybe I would have changed in the future and didn't think my life was worth it." Castiel told him. "I thought about possibilities, scenarios of what could happen, but not of my future itself to think about if it was going to get better. I just didn't think of it, all I thought about was surviving until the next day and the day after." he glanced up at Dean. "But I don't think about that now. Not once. I look forward to the next day, I love to wake up in the morning to see you. To get to do small task with you, boring ones, or new ones. I look forward to school because I have friends. I have someone to come home to. I have someone to come with me. I have someone who loves me." he told him.

Dean's worry softened as Cas explained, raising a hand to gently cradle the side of Cas's face. "Then I'm glad you made it this far, because I won't let it get that bad again. For either of us." He vowed quietly, leaning over to kiss him softly. "We've got each other now." He added, smiling at the thought. He loved waking up in the mornings to see Cas, loved showing him new things, loved just being in the kitchen every day and watching Cas cook. He wouldn't trade any part of his day, because every moment with Cas was a good one to him.

Castiel leaned against Dean's hand, "I love you." He said softly. He could say it over and over again and it wouldn't mean any less, it would mean more to him. His love for Dean would just grow every time he said it. He smiled, "Merry Christmas Dean." He said. He kept a mental timer to countdown the time.

Dean grinned, having lost track of time but knowing Cas would be right. "Merry Christmas, Cas." He replied, smiling and kissing his forehead. "You're the best Christmas present I could possibly have. I love you too." He said, feeling warm and happy down to his core.

"I'm not your present, silly." Castiel laughed lightly, smiling at the forehead kiss. He leaned up and kissed Dean softly. "We'll have to go home for you to see your present." he said. The car was much warmer than it was before but they didn't move apart just yet. Castiel leaned forward and kissed him again, it was just a slow and simple kiss. He smiled a little as he pulled away. "I think you've done that one thing we said before." he told him. "Come steal me away from it all and take me somewhere happy." he explained. "I'm happy." he smiled.

Dean smiled, stroking Cas's cheek with his thumb. "Then I guess I did pretty well with your Christmas gift." He replied, Cas's words making him feel lighthearted and happy. "Then I guess we should get back so I can get your present to me, even though this was kind of a present to myself too." He added with a chuckle.

"That's fine. Your gift relates to me as well." Castiel told him. "But you just have to wait and see." He smiled. He slowly sat back on the seat and stretched out his arms over his head before reaching down and picking up his shirt. He sorted through the clothes and found his and handed Dean his. He slid his shirt on and got off of Dean to put on his jeans. He did everything slowly and leaned back into the seat once he was done. "Thank you for today Dean. It was perfect." He smiled.

Dean got dressed as well, sitting back in the seat with Cas when he had finished. "You're welcome. I'm really glad you liked it." He replied, smiling at him. "It turned out even better than I hoped it would- even if we didn't use the blankets and stuff that I brought." He added with a chuckle.

"We could have if you didn't make me so emotional with how wonderful and thoughtful everything was." Castiel laughed a little. "I cry too much around you." He said. "But that's okay. It's you." He glanced over at Dean and smiled. "We should go home before we fall asleep." He said.

"I don't mind you crying. Especially when it's because you like something I did." Dean replied with a smile. "You're right though- we should get home, get some sleep, and then it'll be Christmas." He said, finishing with a grin. He moved around quickly to get in the drivers door, glancing over at Cas and still smiling happily.

Castiel climbed into the passenger seat and buckled in and smiled at Dean. He ran his hand through his hair, "I probably look like I just had intercourse." He laughed lightly. He glanced out the window to the lit city. It really was beautiful. He smiled softly, how did he get so lucky to have someone who loved him so much? He looked back over to Dean before he shifted gears and pulled him over for just one more kiss.

"You're amazing." He said softly.

Dean grinned and glanced at Cas, about to tell him that he did look like they'd just had sex but that it was definitely a good look on him, when he paused to just look at Cas. The lights from the city reflected in his eyes, and his contentment and love were obvious in the curve of his smile. Dean wanted to memorize the scene, keep it like a photograph to remember this moment. He leaned over gladly to kiss Cas, and the contact served as proof that this wasn't a dream.

"You're just as incredible. I love you." He replied softly.

Castiel smiled, "I love you too." He said.

Castiel waited for Dean to shift gears and pull to the road before he offered his hand so he could hold hands. He was going to remember this memory forever, like all the memories he had with Dean. It was a comfortable ride home, with low music playing softly in the background. Castiel dozed off a bit, leaning against the seat.

Dean was humming softly, and he turned to glance at Cas. He smiled softly when he saw that he had dozed off, knowing that he must be exhausted. He stayed quiet the rest of the way home, letting Cas sleep, and sat in silence for a few moments after he cut the engine. He carefully got out and went around to Cas's side, making sure to close the door quietly, and scooped him up in his arms after unbuckling him. He walked softly into the house and up to his bedroom, holding Cas close.

Castiel's head lulled to Dean's shoulder and neck. He was kind of awake but he was still mostly asleep. He mumbled softly, "We...home?" He let out a breath. "Sowy...carryin' me..." He said drowsily.

Dean chuckled lightly at how tired Cas sounded, leaning down to his head lightly. "Yeah, we're home. I don't mind carrying you- besides, I don't think you could've made it up the stairs." He replied quietly, setting Cas down on the bed with a smile.

"Nuh uh...I could of..." Castiel sighed quietly, drifting back to sleep. "Maybe...some help..." He added softly. He curled up a little on the bed, "S'cold...come snuggle..." He mumbled.

Dean smiled at Cas, curled up on the bed. "Okay, one sec. I'll be right there." He replied, taking off his jeans before climbing into bed beside Cas. "Are you going to sleep with your pants on?" He asked with a chuckle, wondering if Cas was already too asleep to care.

Castiel grumbled a little while he sluggishly undid his pants and tried to wiggle out of them. He groaned halfway through. "Bad decision..." He grumbled. "M' too tired..." He sighed as he gave up.

Dean laughed lightly at Cas's small struggle, scooting up the bed to help pull off his pants the rest of the way. He glanced at Cas and yawned, seeing him already pretty much asleep and curled up. He moved back over to him, laying down beside him, pulling up the blankets, and wrapping his arms around Cas. "Night Cas." He murmured.

Castiel let out a content sound once Dean helped him and pulled him close under the blankets. He scooted closer and nuzzling himself in Dean. "G'night Dean..." He replied softly before falling asleep. They slept in a bit on Christmas morning, but no one seemed to bothered them.


	20. Merry Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas is finally here! Their first christmas for the couple. Let's see what Cas has for Dean for a present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this chapter is purely smut. There's fluff but it's just smut. It's a not needed read, but if ya want to see them have the sexy times a lot, this is it.

Dean woke up slowly, stretching out his legs before opening his eyes. He smiled at Cas's still sleeping form before perking. He reached over and kissed Cas's cheek, grinning. "It's Christmas, Cas." He said quietly, shaking his arm gently.

"Mmm?" Castiel made a sound at the gently shaking, slowly blinking his eyes and rubbing them a little. "...Good morning Dean..." he said softly. He wasn't fully awake yet, his mind still full of sleep.

Dean sat up, looking down at Cas with a grin. "C'mon, we gotta get up. We already slept in, and there are presents waiting." He said, hoping to convince Cas to get up. He was already excited, and his anticipation made him wake up fully, much more quickly than normal.

Castiel stretched out a little before it finally sank in. He sat up, "It's Christmas." he repeated. He grinned over at Dean, "I'm awake." he said, feeling the excitement from Dean rubbing off on him.

He got out of bed and they both pulled on jeans before Cas grabbed his hand and pulled him downstairs. Sam was waiting down there with Bobby, just talking while they waited for the other two.

Sam glanced up once they heard the noise of footsteps. "Oh, here comes the two." he said.

Cas and Dean walked into the room, both smiling, "Sorry we slept in. Good morning." Castiel greeted. "Merry Christmas!" he said happily.

Sam laughed a bit, "Merry Christmas you guys." he said.

"Merry Christmas, boys." Bobby greeted with a chuckle at how excited they all seemed.

"Merry Christmas." Dean replied before rubbing his hands together. "So. How do we want to do this? Before breakfast, right?" He asked, glancing from Sam to Bobby to Cas.

"That's fine with me. I don't want any of you to pop from excitement." Bobby responded with a shrug.

Castiel clapped his hands together a little with a bright smile, he walked over to the tree and handed Bobby two different things. "I asked my brother to get something for me to give to you and I know that you have a lot of books and hats. So I have a few book recommendations in there and a new hat for you." he said happily. The other gift was a bottle of whiskey. "I hope you like it." he smiled shyly.

"I'm sure I will." Bobby replied with a smile, thinking that it was nice of Cas to have gotten him anything. He opened the books and hat first, flipping through a few of the pages. "These look interesting, thank you." He said before opening the box with the whiskey. His brows rose and he whistled, impressed. "Wow, this is some really nice stuff. These are great, really." He said to Cas before standing and grabbing his gift to Cas, which was a cookbook specialist in Japanese recipes. "I know you don't really need this, but I thought you might like it anyway." He said as he handed it to him.

Castiel looked delighted as he took the book, he smiled and held the book to his chest. "Thank you, I've wanted to try some recipes. I'll be sure to attempt some." he said happily.

Sam smiled, before walking over to the tree and tossing Dean a gift his way. "I know you don't really wear stuff like this but I hope you like it." he said.

Bobby smiled, glad Cas liked it, before looking over at Dean. Dean arched a brow, wondering what the gift could be, before he pulled back the wrapping carefully. He grinned as he held up a totem necklace from the top, looking at the totem before smiling at Sam. "This is great, Sammy. I love it." He replied, putting it on and glancing down at it happily, also seeing a few shirts. He walked over and grabbed Sam's gift and handed it to him. "I'm pretty sure you'll like this." He said, fiddling with the necklace idly as he sat back down.

Castiel looked over at Dean before walking over to him and sitting down next to him, bumping shoulders a little as he smiled at him. "I like your necklace." he said.

Sam sat down with the present, wondering why it was so heavy. He opened up the gift and his eyes nearly popped out of his skull from the surprise. "Wha-How? How did you even afford this Dean?!" he said shocked.

"I kind of chipped in but it was Dean's idea. It's a present from us both." Castiel smiled. "Do you like it?" he asked.

"Wha-Yeah! Of course! Thanks guys!" Sam grinned before setting down the gift and going over and pulling Dean up for a hug. "Thanks guys. This means a lot. I really like it." he said.

Dean was a little surprised at the hug but he smiled and returned the squeeze. "I'm glad you like it, Sammy." He replied with a grin, elated that Sam liked it so much. He turned to smile at Cas, thankful that he had decided to chip in with him and help pay. He'd definitely have to thank him again.

Sam glanced at Cas and opened his arms toward him which surprised Castiel. "C'mere, you deserve one too." he said. Castiel stood up and gingerly reached out before Sam laughed and pulled him into a tight hug. Castiel squeaked before returning the hug.

Sam pulled away first and grinned at him before reaching over to the tree and giving Cas his gift. "Since everyone gave you books and writing things, I thought you would want a lap desk with a light so you can work while Dean is asleep." he said.

Castiel smiled, "Thank you. I will cherish it." he said. Castiel glanced back at Dean, "I have your gift later. I hope you don't mind." he said.

Dean laughed as Sam wrapped Cas in a tight hug, enjoying Cas's surprised expression. "No, I don't mind." He replied, curious at why Cas was going to give it to him later. He wanted to ask, but figured there was a reason Cas wasn't giving it to him now- which only made him more curious.

Castiel smiled, setting his things down. "I guess I better start breakfast now." he said.

Sam glanced at his laptop, "I'm going to start booting this up and setting it up. Really, thanks guys." he said gratefully. He sat down on the couch and started to plug it in before he started setting up.

Castiel wandered into the kitchen and wondered what they would make for later and now. "I don't know what to make." he said softly.

Dean followed Cas into the kitchen, leaving San to set up his computer and Bobby to look through the books Cas had got him. "Well, how about something easy? It is Christmas, you should enjoy it as much as you can." He replied, looking over at him. "Like eggs and bacon, or pancakes." He suggested with a shrug.

"That works." Castiel smiled. "I was thinking that maybe we can use some instant ramen later to make stir fried noodles. You think that seems like a good idea?" he asked, glancing in the fridge to see what he could use before taking out breakfast supplies. "We also have to eat the rest of that gingerbread house." he gestured. "It can't go to waste."

"Noodles and gingerbread house- that sounds good to me." Dean replied with a chuckle, watching Cas look around the fridge. "And of course I'll help you make whatever I can. I would apologize for not giving you the chance to cook stuff in advance yesterday, but I think what we did instead made up for it." He added.

Castiel glanced over his shoulder at Dean, "Can't say I would be mad at what we did to make up for it either." he smiled before going about in the kitchen. He hummed softly, cooking something simple and it was ready not long after as he talked to Dean as he cooked. He asked him to get plates and silverware as he separated them evenly and glanced into the other room. "Food is ready." he said.

Sam perked, "Oh, okay. Be right there." he said as he typed a few more things before walking into the kitchen and taking a plate. "Thank you for cooking breakfast." he said.

"My pleasure." Castiel smiled.

Bobby came in after Sam, sitting after he'd gotten a plate and some food. "It looks good, thanks for making breakfast on Christmas morning." He said to Cas.

Dean sat down as well, taking the first bite and smiling. "Do you still want me to tell you how good it is, or is it just a given now?" He asked Cas jokingly.

"Maybe once in a while. So I don't think that my food hasn't stopped tasting good." Castiel smiled. He sat down next to Dean and nibbled away at his food. Sam ate a bit quicker but stayed even after he was done. He wanted to go to his new laptop and play with it.

Castiel glanced at him, "You don't have to stay. If you would like to go back to the computer you may do so, but please take some gingerbread if you do." He said.

Sam smiled, "Thanks again." He said before getting up and putting his dish away and breaking off some gingerbread and going back to his waiting laptop.

Dean chuckled as Sam went back to his laptop, glad he liked it. Bobby finished as well and went back to reading after he'd put away his plate and everything. Dean took Cas's and his own plate when they'd finished, putting them away. "So we have all of Christmas. What do you want to do?" He asked.

Castiel followed behind Dean and wrapped his arms around him and rest his forehead on his back. "Cuddle." He laughed lightly.

He took Dean's hand and laced it together and walked him back upstairs. Dean chuckled as he follows Cas upstairs, thinking that cuddling was always a good option. Castiel closed the door behind them and led Dean to sit down.

"I couldn't exactly think of a gift for you but I have a few." Castiel smiled. He wandered to his side of the bed and came back with a little book. He handed it to Dean, they were little coupons for things that Dean could ask Cas to do for him. Like giving him a massage, or washing the impala, anything.

Dean sat down on the bed, excited and curious to see what Cas had gotten him. "Oh, cool, thanks Cas." He replied with a smile, flipping through the little coupon book.

Castiel twisted his fingers a little. "There are some for more intimate things today the back." He said. He went back and took out another box, "I'm not done yet." He said. He took out Gabriel's gift for Dean. There were pictures of both of them dressed in girl clothes and some other pictures. "He...ah...gave us other things..." He said softly.

Dean arched a brow and flipped through then, smiling and then laughing at the picture of them dressed as girls. He glanced up at Cas and perked slightly. "What sort of other things?" He asked.

Castiel blushed a little, "I...If you close your eyes and...uh...give me a few moments. I'll show you." He said. "Promise not to peek?" He asked.

Dean grinned and nodded, closing his eyes. "I won't peek." He promised, keeping his eyes closed. Cas's slight blush and Gabriel's previous gifts made him insanely curious, but he kept his eyes closed.

Castiel walked around the bed and took out another bag and took out something before setting it back down. He stayed behind Dean so he couldn't see. He rummaged around and slowly stripped off his clothes and folded them up. He sat down on the bed for a moment before he got up. There was a light jingle before it was quiet again. Castiel let out a soft breath, trying to calm down before walking around the bed again in front of Dean.

"Ahh...you can open your eyes now." He twisted a little, keeping his hands behind him. He had little black cat ears, a bow choker with a bell on it and he was wearing little ruffle panties that had little bows on it with a garter and stockings. They had little bows on them too. He blushed as he waited, he hoped that Dean would like it.

Dean opened his eyes, his jaw dropping slightly as he looked Cas over. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but it hadn't been this. "Wow, Cas, I- you- I mean, you look great." He managed, standing and walking over to him. He tore his eyes away from the clothes to meet his eyes. "I love it, seriously." He said, reaching up to touch the little bell around his neck.

Castiel shivered lightly, glancing up at Dean. "Really?" He asked shyly. "I...I have a tail but it's a... it's a plug. I uhmm... I know it moves." He said. "I didn't put it in though." He said softly, looking down, moving his hands from his back. He held a tail and a ball gag, a blue one to match his eyes. "... Is that a good present?" He asked.

Dean's eyes widened slightly as he looked at the tail and gag, "Yes, Cas, this is an amazing present." He replied quietly, meeting Cas's eyes again. "Seriously, I love it." He added, eyes skimming back down and up Cas before stepping forward to kiss him.

Castiel felt a stir of arousal for being dressed like this. He swallowed a little and kiss Dean back. He held the two things in his hand and rested his other hand on Dean's chest and lightly scrunch the shirt as he held it.

Dean rested his hand on Cas's hip, running his fingers across the soft fabric of the panties. He broke off of the kiss, moving to Cas's jaw. He pulled back a little to look at Cas, "You sure you're okay with being gagged?" he asked quietly. He didn't want to make Cas feel uncomfortable, it was all his choice and whatever he chose, Dean would be okay with.

Castiel nodded, leaning in a kissing Dean gently. "I'm okay." he told him.

Dean kissed him back softly, "So do you to take these new toys for a spin?" He murmured with a smile, feeling the tail and gag in Cas's hand.

Castiel blushed, glancing up at Dean and nodding. "Would you...would you like to put the tail in first?" He asked. "I...I can kneel on the bed if you want..." He offered. He made every choice, he knew that. Dean wouldn't ever push him and he was ready to write over his fears. He trusted Dean wholeheartedly. He would stop if he even uttered a word of pain.

Dean nodded and smiled, taking them from Cas and grabbing the lube from the nightstand while Cas got onto the bed. He rubbed some onto the plug before walking up behind Cas and running his fingertips lightly down his back. "You look so good like this." He murmured, stepping closer and kissing the crook of his neck. "Already irresistible, and we've barely started." He added softly, hooking his thumb in the back of the panties and pulling them down slowly.

Castiel shivered under Dean, he dropped his head as he was resting on the bed on his hands and knees. He moaned softly, feeling aroused by how he looked and how much it affected Dean, how much he loved seeing him in it.

Dean licked his lips, already surprisingly aroused when they'd hardly touched. "Moaning already, good thing we have a gag." He said thickly, smiling slightly as he rested a hand on Cas's hips and circled his entrance a few times to let him know in advance before he pressed a finger inside to help stretch him open.

It was a slow stretch, Dean worked slowly to make sure Cas felt everything. Wanted him to be comfortable, and if he has any last minute regret or doubt he could stop him. He worked up to three fingers and Castiel was panting softly against the bed, lifting his hips higher for him. The bell jingled softly when he pushed forward.

Dean enjoyed Cas's moans and sounds while he still could. He teased Cas's prostate briefly before he pulled them out, hearing Castiel whimper softly at the lost. He smiled softly, kissing the base of his spine as he then reached over and took the plug, replacing his fingers.

Castiel gasped a little, his body twitching just slightly at the plug. He swallowed a bit and pushed toward Dean, the ball gag and the small controller. He felt an excitement and anticipation running through his veins. His eyes were dark, sweating lightly and his lips were red from him chewing on them.

Dean took the gag first, knowing there was a good chance Cas would let a few good moans out if he started without it. "Open." He said softly, carefully guiding the ball into Cas's mouth and securing it. He quickly stripped of his shirt before flipping Cas over and onto his back wanting to see his expressions of pleasure when he turned the toy on. But also so Cas would know it's him and stop him whenever he wanted with their signs.

"Ready?" He asked with a small grin, trailing his fingers across Cas's cheek with one hand and holding the remote in the other.

Castiel blushed, looking up at Dean. His tongue lightly touched the ball in his mouth, it was a weird feeling but it wasn't bad. He nodded, gripping onto the bed sheets a little. He could feel the excitement running through him and build as well as his arousal.

Dean leaned forward to kiss Cas's jaw tenderly. He moved back again to watch Cas's expression as he turned the plug on, tracing his fingers across the garter on one of his legs.

The tail swished back and forth and Castiel's eyes widened a bit as he moaned. He couldn't bite down a bit on the ball so he just moaned, but it was muffled. His face flushed as he could feel the tail brush his leg and he shut his eyes and bowed his head.

Dean's eyes darkened slightly with desire at Cas's reaction, leaning forward to kiss Cas's neck and traced his lips along his collar. He hummed against the fabric and turned the toy up another notch. He ran his thumb along the inside of the hem of the panties, rubbing at the soft fabric.

Castiel moaned a bit louder, having a shiver run through him as his tail swished back and forth a lot quicker. He made little sounds through the gag, squeezing his eyes shut as he did. The ball gag was good for muffling but it kept his mouth open so he could drool freely and he felt it pooling a bit in his mouth. His legs fell apart more, opening more space for Dean.

Dean glanced down at the tail moving back and forth, seeing Cas's little movements with each swish. He shifted Cas's legs apart a little further so the he could kneel between them, feeling his way up Cas's stockinged leg with one hand as he leaned forward kissed his stomach. He trailed kisses and small bites up along Cas's skin, pressing more between his legs as he leaned further to reach far enough to toy with Cas's nipple with his tongue.

Castiel moaned, feeling Dean kissing him all across his skin as the tail moved about. It wasn't swishing as much but the vibrations didn't stop. He moaned through the gag, swallowing continuously to keep from salivating on himself. He arched off the bed once Dean started playing with his nipples, he was panting, moaning loudly through the gag. He drooled just a little on the side of his lip as his eyes squeezed shut.

Dean hummed in pleasure against Cas's skin, looking up through his lashes to see Cas's reactions. He moaned softly, always aroused by seeing Cas so clearly affected. He moved his hand against the panties, rubbing Cas slightly through the soft fabric and rocking his hips slightly against the bed. He continued to kiss and lap at Cas's nipples, knowing those were always so sensitive.

Castiel whined, against the gag, moving his hips upward to Dean's hand. His hands slid into Dean's hair, trying to find something to hold onto. He was moaning a bit loudly but it was all muffled and he drooled a bit more from all the moaning. He felt the warm feeling pool in his stomach, he had fleeting thoughts of things. He gently held onto Dean's face to look at him, he tried swallowed a bit and opened his eyes slightly. He reached down and rubbed the front of Dean's pants and then in between his own legs, he arched his hips upward into Dean's groin as he moaned himself.

Dean panted and moaned softly as Cas arched up against him, moaning softly and biting his lip to muffle the sound. He rolled his hips against Cas, enjoying the friction, before moving back slightly. He quickly unfastened his pants and yanked them down, stepping out of them and kicking them aside. He saw Cas straining against the panties, a sharp pang of arousal spiking through him at the sight, and tugged the fabric down slightly, out of the way. He wiped away a trail of precum before stroking Cas's cock lightly, tracing his thumb tantalizingly against the sensitive underside and then moving his hand quickly up, repeating the teasing process a few more times.

Castiel's hips buckled at the touching, he whimpered through the gag, holding onto Dean's arm. He opened his dazed eyes again and looking up at Dean, he panted as he reached out and touched Dean's cock then guiding it a bit in between his legs. He was trying to tell Dean what he wanted. He felt comfortable, mostly with yesterday. He thinks he can get through it. That he'll be able to do it. He grabbed the base of his erection though, feeling that orgasm feeling build and build. He didn't want it to end yet.

Dean understood what he was suggesting, glancing up at Cas as a shiver of anticipation moved up his spine. He grabbed the controller of the tail, pulling it out carefully and turning it off. He leaned forward a little more so that Cas would have easy access to his face of he needed to signal to stop before he slowly eased himself inside of Cas. He caught himself mid-moan, the tight, warm feeling of Cas around him being infinitely better than he last remembered.

Castiel groaned, his eyes rolling back a little as he arched up. His hands were wrapped around Dean's neck, holding onto him. The feeling of Dean being inside of him was so much different than fingers or a toy. It was hot and he could feel a pulsing. He slowly opened his eyes to look at Dean, just reassuring himself. He didn't feel the disgust of anything, he felt the intimacy and love. He moaned softly, just keeping his gaze on Dean through his half lidded eyes.

Dean met Cas's eyes with a soft moan, the desire clear in both of their eyes. He started moving slowly at first before finding a rhythm for his thrusts. He held Cas's hips with both hands, his fingers digging in slightly to his skin. Hot pleasure coursed through him and he leaned forward to suck sharply at Cas's skin in order to muffle another loud moan.

Castiel's hands held onto him tightly, arching back and moaning. He forgot how it felt to have Dean inside of him. A bit of drool dripped down his chin as Dean moved in him. His cock bobbed between them as the little bell jingled with every move. They both blocked out the ringing, hearing just each other's moans and pants.

Castiel was so very close from before. He felt him thrust and hit his prostate and his orgasm just hit him suddenly. Castiel moaned loudly, whimpering from the pure pleasure. He bowed his back off the bed and he curled his toes, holding onto Dean tightly. He dug his nails in a little and pulled at some of Dean's hair as he came. It splattered in between both their stomachs and his body twitched as it came.

Dean gasped against Cas's skin as he heard his muffled moans, glancing up just as he came. The expression of unadulterated pleasure on Cas's face mixed with the sweet pain of his hair being tugged at pushed Dean to the edge, and he moved quickly a few more times before choking on Cas's name as he came. His fingers scraped against Cas's hips and he bit his lip fiercely to keep himself quiet.

Castiel felt sensitive and having Dean move in him after he finished felt good but also sent sharp spikes of pleasure. He moaned with each thrust but then Dean came and he felt something hot spurt into him and his eyes rolls back a bit as he twitched. He moaned loudly as his eyes rolled back a bit, he felt Dean cum in him and it was hot inside. He was so high off the pleasure, he didn't think anything of it. He just panted, his body twitching a little in the aftershocks.

Dean panted heavily, resting his forehead against Cas's chest and keeping his eyes closed. He could feel Cas twitch slightly and moaned softly against him, completely in a daze of pleasure. He stayed like that for a few moments before he lifted his head again, looking up at Cas with half closed eyes. Dean leaned against him and reached up, fiddling with the ball gag before carefully removing it from his mouth.

Castiel's lips were red from the ball, he moved his mouth a bit, swallowing the drool that had settled in his mouth. he was out of it, lying completely flat against the bed. He was still panting a bit, giving up on focusing and just lying there under Dean. His hands were resting softly over Dean's shoulder and back. He didn't say anything, not much was processing with him at the moment.

Dean laid the gag aside, stroking his hand through Cas's hair gently as they both calmed down from their high. "That was an amazing gift." He murmured quietly, still laying against Cas and having no intention of moving. He felt completely content and tired, feeling Cas's warmth beneath him.

"M' glad..." Castiel slurred a bit. He had his eyes closed as Dean stroked his slightly damp hair. He was completely wiped. He still felt the full feeling with Dean resting inside him, he made a soft content sound. He didn't feel like moving, mostly with Dean lying on him like a blanket, he wasn't going to even attempt.

Dean rested his chin on Cas's chest, idly carding through his hair for a bit before beginning to trace Cas's features with his fingertips. He was exhausted and part of him wanted to sleep, but he compromised to just stroking against Cas's skin and laying on top of him. He smiled slightly at how tired and happy Cas seemed.

Castiel smiled drowsily, "That tickles...but feels nice." He said softly. He still had his eyes closed, feeling Dean touch him and feeling him breath on him. "M' leaking...I can feel it.." He told him.

Dean hummed lightly, moving up slightly. "We should probably get cleaned up." He said reluctantly, stroking Cas's face with his thumb one more time before sitting up. He slowly eased himself out of Cas, letting out a breath at the feeling.

Castiel felt it leak out more and he sighed softly. "Bed's dirty..." he told him. They had really made a mess of the sheets, wrinkling around them. Castiel had his arms resting near his head, his cat ears still situated on top of his head with his little collar. They had taken most of the panties off with it being around one of his stocking legs. The cum on his stomach missed the garter so it was just splatter over his stomach and there was some leaking out from between his legs. His face was flushed with some light sweet as he laid there dazed. His lips were still pink and the bites that Dean did in his skin were really visible.

"We can wash them later." Dean replied, clearly not too concerned with the sheets. His eyes roamed over Cas and he leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to his reddened lips. He wanted to just lay down with him and sleep, but he knew they should wash off and change beforehand. "Do you want help getting to the bathroom?" He asked with a soft smile, thinking that Cas looked like he would fall asleep at any second.

"Are we takin' a bath?" Castiel asked softly. "Some help be'd nice..." he added. He let out a soft breath, not moving yet. "Can't get up if you're on me..." he told him. "Don't wanna move..." he sighed. He just laid under Dean, trying to keep awake. He was ready to sleep but a bath sounded really nice, just moving didn't.

Dean chuckled lightly and moved off of Cas, feeling the cold across his stomach and chest at the loss of Cas's warmth. He helped Cas into a sitting position before he paused. "Hang on, I'll get the water running, okay?" He said, standing up with a yawn and moving to the bathroom. He was exhausted, but definitely wasn't as out of it as Cas. He returned a moment later with the water filling the tub, crouching down slightly to scoop Cas up in his arms. He didn't really trust that he would be able to walk properly.

"I can walk..." Castiel mumbled. "Just some help be'd nice..." he added as his head leaned onto Dean's shoulder. He let out a soft breath, wrapping his arms around Dean's neck and pulling himself up a bit. "See...I can help..." he said.

Dean chuckled lightly at Cas's attempt to help. "You're right, thanks." He said as he walked them over to the bathroom. He set Cas carefully on the edge of the tub, straightening his legs and carefully pulling the panties and everything off. He felt the soft fabric between his fingers before laying them aside, putting them out of the way. Next he leaned up to kiss Cas's cheek lightly before taking off the collar, the little bell ringing lightly, and removing the cat ears so none of it would get damaged in the water.

Castiel hummed softly, "Did I make a good kitty...?" he asked, hearing the soft bell. He opened his eyes a bit and looked up at Dean, he smiled. He opened his arms a bit and made little grabby motions toward Dean. "C'mere."

"Yes, you definitely did. You were the best." Dean replied with a smile. He laughed lightly at Cas's grabby hands before he moved into Cas's open arms, wrapping his own gently around Cas. "I'm right here."

Castiel nuzzled into his neck, sighing contently as he wrapped his arms around Dean. "M' glad...I was a good kitty." he said softly. He was starting to doze off a bit, but he tried staying awake.

Dean chuckled lightly, tightening his hold on Cas so that he could pick him up and set him in the warm water, sitting down with him. "Yeah, you were a great kitty." He murmured softly, grabbing a wash rag and wetting it before starting to gently massage it across Cas's chest and stomach to wash him.

Castiel was breathing softly against Dean's chest, he was very relaxed and sleepy. He drifted in and out but he was kind of aware of what was happening. It was very quiet with just the water moving, just like last time. "I like those panties...I see why you do..." he murmured.

Dean smiled, finishing Cas's front. "Yeah, they're pretty nice. I like seeing you in them too." He said as he wiped down his chest and stomach before he pulled Cas in closer so that he could reach his back. He moved across Cas's skin in slow circles, making his way down his spine.

"Those are mine..." Castiel mumbled, "Mmm, ours..." he changed his mind. "I bought more for you..." he told him. "You're so pretty..." he said softly as he rested his head into Dean's neck. He was just talking to Dean in his tired state, eyes closed and just breathing.

"You bought more for me? Thanks, Cas, that's great." Dean replied with a smile. "You're pretty too." He added, enjoying Cas's tired talking. He pulled the wet rag out of the water again and used it to wash out Cas's hair, taking some shampoo in his hand and running it through his hair while Cas rested against his neck and shoulder.

"You take such good care of me..." Castiel told him. "You love me so much..." he added, "I would say I love you this much." he opened his arms out before they plopped back into the water. "But I love you much more than that..." he said. He hummed softly, "You came in me...I need to still clean that..." he reminded him. "I can do it...after you finish..."

"And I love you just as much." Dean replied, leaning down to kiss his temple. "Are you sure you're awake enough to do it? I don't mind helping you." He offered, thinking that Cas seemed only half awake at that point anyway.

"Maybe..." Castiel responded. "Maybe some help be'd nice..." he said. "But it might make me sexually aroused again..." he told him. "Mmm, having intercourse more than once is normal right?" he asked. He sighed softly, losing his train of thought for a second. "We only go once..." he noted.

"Well, you're usually tired and I assume you want to rest or sleep." Dean explained. "But yeah, it's normal." He added, wondering if Cas would have the energy to go again. He leaned against the back of the tub, holding Cas with him and moving his legs apart slightly so that he was straddling Dean. He moved the cloth between Cas's legs, cleaning around his entrance before sliding a finger inside.

Castiel moaned quietly, now resting his head into the crook of Dean's neck and shoulder. "I wouldn't mind...feels good." he mumbled. "I'll work on not being as tired after...so we can do intimate things...I like them." he told him. He nuzzled a bit into the side of Dean's neck before turning his head toward him and placing a kiss at the base. "Gags are nice...but I don't get to kiss you.." he said.

"That's the one downside of a gag." Dean agreed, tilting his head back slightly as Cas kissed him. "And I don't get to hear you as much." He added, though that was the point of the gag. He inserted another finger with the cloth, gently moving them inside of Cas to clean him.

Castiel opened his legs a bit more to make it easier for Dean, he was still pliant and stretched so it wasn't hard to clean him. He moaned softly in Dean's neck, between the kisses and gently licks. He left small marks on the side of Dean's neck, along with the ones he made yesterday. He softly bit at Dean's neck, humming quietly.

Dean closed his eyes, enjoying Cas's bites against his neck and leaning his head back against the tile of the wall to give him more room to kiss and bite. He moved his free hand up to tangle into Cas's damp hair, running his fingers through.

Castiel mouthed against the Dean's neck, kissing the underside of his jaw before leaning up and nipping at the soft flesh behind Dean's ear. He nuzzled his face there for a moment as he kissed it softly before leaning up and licking the shell of Dean's ear and sucking on his earlobe.

Dean moaned softly as Cas sucked on his ear, leaning slightly into the feeling. He kept the motion with his fingers despite already cleaning Cas out, keep a slow tempo. He shifted slightly beneath him, causing little waves in the water from his movement.

Castiel rest both of his hands on the side of Dean's neck, just stroking the sides with his thumb as he continued to nibble and lick. He gasped a little, moaning lightly at Dean moving his fingers. He moved slightly and kissed the corner of Dean's eye then his eyelid and the high of his cheek before tilting Dean's face slightly toward him. He slowly opened his eyes to look at Dean before slowly leaning in and kissing him.

Dean opened his eyes as Cas tilted his head, letting out a soft breath at how Cas was looking at him. His eyes were full of love and affection, and it felt completely intimate and personal. Knowing that he was the only one to share such a look with Cas sent a shiver up his spine. He leaned willingly into the kiss, letting Cas lead it and following his lips.

Castiel gently stroked Dean's hair with one of his hands before he reached behind him and slowly slipped out Dean's fingers. He was mostly aroused again and he pushed his hips into Dean to see that he had the similar reaction. He moved his hips a bit before he positioned himself over Dean and sank down on him. He moaned into the kiss, it was a languid and slow kiss. There wasn't much movement yet, just feeling. Castiel slowly began to roll his hips in circular motions, rocking back and forth.

Dean hummed in pleasure, moaning softly into Cas's mouth at the feeling. He moved against Cas's rocking to increase the sensation, kissing him deeply and sucking on his lower lip.

Castiel moaned, pulling at the end of Dean's damp hair. He broke the kiss first and looked at Dean for a moment before bending backwards and putting his hand down the tub while the other one fiddled with the drain. He started draining the water.

Dean looked surprised at first when Cas bent over backwards before smiling slightly, tracing his fingers across Cas's stomach as he drained the water. He leaned forward slightly to kiss his exposed skin softly before shifting back again.

Castiel pushed himself back up before and looking back at Dean again, he smiled a little as he stroked his cheek with his hand before kissing him again. He started finding his rhythm again, this time going up a bit and rolling his hips before sinking himself back down. He tangled his fingers back into Dean's hair as they slowly moved with each other.

Dean groaned in pleasure and leaned his head against Cas's hand. He rose up against Cas each time he came down, not being able to move as much but wanting to add as much friction as he could. He ran his hands down Cas's sides and rested them on his hips, helping to guide him down each time.

Castiel panted, moaning into Dean mouth as he continued to lightly pull at his hair. Dean's hands helped balance him so he moved up more, rolling his hips teasingly before sinking back down. He didn't have a really fast pace, just going at a slow tempo. He ground down rough on the other hand of going slow to even it out.

Dean broke off of the kiss to breath heavily, his eyes closed and head leaning back as Cas moved on him. "Oh god, Cas." He moaned before partially opening his eyes again. He found Cas's mouth and leaned into another kiss, long and deep.

Castiel panted as he kissed Dean, having his hands back into Dean's hair and tipping Dean's head back slightly so he could kiss him more. He moaned, "Feels...ah..so good." He panted as he kissed Dean. He found it a bit hard to move like this and wondered briefly to change his position. He slowly slid off of Dean and turned around, having his back to Dean this time. He shifted to his hands and knees and moved a hand to gently guide Dean back in him before he started rocking himself onto Dean. He moaned, feeling it graze his prostate but not enough.

Dean gasped as Cas rocked against him, briefly squeezing his eyes shut at the pleasure coursing through him. He put his hands back on Cas's hips, holding them and helping him rock against him. He rolled his own hips against Cas's motions, arching off of the tub slightly as he did.

Castiel whined, tipping his head back as he moved his hips up and down, rolling them before he took Dean back in. The bathroom echoed their breathing and soft moans, their skin against another. Castiel bowed his head forward, feeling that feeling build again but it wasn't enough. "D-Dean...more...please. Anything." He told him. He was wondering on changing their position again to make it better.

Dean made a noise of agreement, desperately wanting something more but not quite able to form words, and he thought quickly before moving. He shifted his legs beneath himself so that he was kneeling, using his legs as leverage. His hands held tightly on to Cas's hips, pulling him back as he thrusted forward.

Castiel choked on his loud moan. He went from being on his hands to resting on his forearms as he pushed his hips up higher. He covered his mouth with one of his hands, trying to find a rhythm but his hips stuttered and buckled so he had a bit of a hard time finding it again. He just tried to follow when Dean pulled him back and he moaned.

Dean bit his lower lip as he panted harshly, trying to keep quiet. He moved his heels to press against the back of the tub, using it to stabilize himself and thrust harder into Cas. He dragged his hands up slightly around Cas's waist, helping him to go with his tempo. He felt the warm tension in his stomach and sped up slightly.

Castiel whimpered and whined, bowing his back a bit then crying out a bit feeling the thrust drag across his prostate with each thrust. His eyes went out of focus as he covered his mouth and his toes curled into himself. He moved his hips back quickly and lowered himself a bit more then Dean hit his prostate head on and he blacked out for a second for the pure pleasure. He came with a sob and Dean's name mixed in.

Dean's hands were clenched around Cas, bordering on the edge when Cas came. He felt him tighten as he orgasmed, and the feeling was more than enough to make him cum hotly. He felt the waves of pleasure crash over him, he leaned back slightly against the wall so that he wouldn't fall. His chest was heaving as he loosed his grip on Cas's sides, moving his hand to lightly stroke Cas's back.

Castiel was breathing heavily, his body twitching in the aftershocks. He was slumped down in the tub, still in his euphoric state. He made soft sounds at the small bursts of pleasure he was still feeling.

Dean panted still, slowly opening his eyes to look down at Cas. He leaned forward to gently kiss the nape of his neck before moving back again, sitting on his heels and leaning against the edge of the tub. He was still completely high on the pleasure, though he could feel his exhaustion. They'd gone for a while without doing anything like that, and now they'd done it three times in less than a day but it made Dean happy. Things were okay again. Cas was okay. They were content.

Castiel was more than gone. He turned onto his side and just laid there as he panted. He didn't ever register the cum leaking out of him. He felt the light sheen of sweat on him but that was it. No thought even could process on his mind. He was blissfully high with pleasure.

Dean's breathing slowly steadied as he sat against the tub, thought process slowly returning. He desperately wanted to sleep, but first he knew he should help Cas, since he didn't seem to be in any state to clean himself. He slowly reached over and grabbed the wash rag again, running it under warm water before starting to wipe him down again.

Castiel barely opened his eyes to look at Dean wiping him down before he just laid his head back down onto the tub and failing with trying to stay up. He was falling asleep. At that point, he really didn't care that he had Dean's cum in him. He just wanted to curl up with Dean and sleep. He made a soft sound at the tender cleaning.

Dean smiled slightly at the soft noise Cas made. His own eyes were starting to droop as well, and his cleaning became more sloppy from the tiredness as he wiped between Cas's legs and inside of him. He tossed the tag aside when he was finished, wanting nothing more than to lie down and sleep. He glanced at the bathroom door and back to Cas, wondering if he would be able to carry him to the bed or not.

Castiel was breathing softly, lying in the tub. His mind was telling him to wake up but it was also telling him that he was fine, it was comfortable. He groaned a bit, blinking a little as he reached for Dean. He crawled out of the tub and into Dean, sighing softly

Dean smiled softly and wrapped his arms around Cas, wanting to just close his eyes. Despite his exhaustion, an annoying part of his mind reminded him of how hard the tile was compared to his bed, and he sighed reluctantly. He scooped Cas up, staggering slightly before regaining his balance, and managed to walk over to the bed. He set Cas down and immediately crawled in beside him, pulling lazily at the blankets.

Castiel turned toward the warmth and pulled himself close to it and falling asleep almost immediately. He huddled near Dean, breathing evenly. He had his arm draped over Dean's chest as he fell asleep.

Dean leaned into Cas and wrapped his arms around him, giving up on the blanket when it was partially covering both of them. He fell into a tired but content sleep almost instantly.

They slept for a few hours, it was nearing dinner time. They were still cuddled in bed, sleeping away their activities from earlier. Castiel scooted closer to Dean as they slept, being cold. He pulled at the blankets and covered them up more in his slumber.

Dean woke up starving, having worked up a good appetite from earlier. He glanced down at Cas and smiled, feeling warm, comfortable, and content. He moved over slightly to lightly kiss Cas's forehead, debating on whether he should let Cas rest longer.

Castiel moved a little in his sleep but he didn't wake up, he was tired. He just curled more into Dean, soaking in his warmth and falling back into his deep sleep.

Dean smiled slightly before deciding he'd make something on his own- Cas clearly needed the rest. He moved carefully out from under Cas's arm, putting his pillow in his place before getting up. He made sure the blanket was fully covering Cas so that he wouldn't get cold before pulling on some clothes and quietly walking ou of the room.

Castiel felt a lost of warmth and squeezed the pillow close to feel warm again. He sighed softly in his sleep, before nuzzling into the pillow and continuing to sleep.

Dean came back up a while later, balancing two plates of food and some waters on a tray. He set the tray down on the nightstand and sat down on the bed, smiling at how Cas was cuddled up with the pillow. "Hey, Cas, you should eat something. You're not gonna be able to sleep tonight if you don't wake up for a while." He said quietly, trying to wake Cas gently.

"Mmm?" Castiel made a sound in response. He nuzzled more into the pillow, blinking a bit. "M' still tired..." He murmured.

"I know, but if you keep sleeping then you'll wake up in the middle of the night. C'mon, I made you dinner." Dean replied with a smile, taking one of the plates to entice Cas to sit up. It wasn't anything fancy, but he knew Cas liked it when he cooked for him- even if it didn't always taste as great.

Castiel blinked, peering over his shoulder at Dean. He glanced around, "Hmmm... what time izit?" He plopped back down into the pillow, stretching out a bit. "How did I get in bed...?" He asked.

Dean glanced over at the clock and chuckled lightly at Cas. "It's 7, and I carried you. I didn't want to sleep on the bathroom floor- you didn't seem to mind though." He added with a laugh.

"I didn't..." Castiel told him. He slowly turned around and looked over at Dean, he looked thoroughly tousled and disheveled. His hair was wet when he went to sleep so it was all over the place. He smiled softly. "You made me dinner?" He asked. "That's sweet of you."

Dean grinned at Cas's disheveled state. "Well, you didn't seem like you'd be up for making dinner, and honestly I was getting pretty hungry." He admitted, offering a plate with chicken. "I can't say it'll be good, but at least it's food." He added with a chuckle.

"Give me a kiss." Castiel said softly, smiling as he laid on the pillows. "Thank you for making me food." He told him. He started sitting up and he felt sore. "...I forgot about all the soreness." He moved a bit more gently. The blankets fell down a bit, pooling around his hips. He glanced down and he saw bruises around his hips. "...oh." He said softly, running his fingers over them.

Dean winced slightly at the bruises, knowing he'd caused them. "Sorry, I guess I was a little rough." He said, thinking that he probably should've taken it easy for Cas's first time in so long.

"Why are you sorry?" Castiel asked, placing his fingers over the marks and looking up at Dean. "I never said they were bad...I definitely did not mind /you/ being rough... they're good marks. They're /your/ marks." He said. "I'm sorry I always leave you to take care of everything." He told him.

"I dunno, I didn't mean to hurt you." Dean replied, looking at the bruises and back up at Cas. "And I don't mind, you don't have to be sorry. You were really out of it." He added with a chuckle. "I like being able to take care of you anyway." He said with a shrug.

Castiel looked at Dean lovingly, "You take such good care of me." He said. He took the plate away from Dean and leaned over and kissed him softly. "Thank you for letting me sleep while you made dinner. I don't think I could have walked correctly anyways." He laughed lightly.

"Of course. It's the least I could do after giving you bruises and making you so sore. Dean laughed. "Well, that's a sign of a good time, I guess." He joked before taking the other plate. "I hope this is okay. I think I might have over cooked the chicken just a little." He admitted, glancing down at the food dubiously.

"That's okay. I can still eat it." Castiel smiled. "We slept most of this Christmas huh?" He commented as he picked at the chicken. It was a little bland and overcooked but he didn't care in the least. "Did you think we wasted this Christmas?" He asked.

Dean frowned slightly. "I don't think we wasted it. I mean, most of the time on Christmas you spend the day enjoying your gifts, and we definitely did that." He replied with a slight smile. "Do you think we wasted it? We still have some time, we can go sit by the fireplace or something." He offered, not wanting Cas to be disappointed by their Christmas.

"I don't think we've wasted it. Not at all. I spent the day and yesterday, well not counting everyday before that loving you and spending time with you. I don't think that's a waste at all." Castiel replied. "I don't think I want to move very much for the rest of today and if I did, if my shirt would hike up just slightly, everyone would know what we have been doing..." He said.

Dean let out a relieved breath and smiled, glad Cas didn't regret how they'd spent the day. "I'm fine with not moving. I'm still pretty tired too. But honestly, I think they can already guess what we've been doing." He said with a chuckle as he took another bite of chicken.

Castiel blushed a bit, "Do you really think so? Are we that obvious." He asked. "I don't want them to think wrongly of me or anything." He added.

"Well, you said you'd give your present to me while we were alone and then we spent most of the day alone in my room. They can probably guess what we were doing and why you didn't come down to make dinner like usual." Dean replied with a chuckle. "But it's fine, they don't care. We're pretty quiet, so at least they can pretend they don't know."

Castiel nibbled on his food, blushing a bit still. "Well...I didn't really expect things to go that way to be honest...My gifts to you were panties and the little book I gave you. Then whatever else Gabriel gave to me." he said. He played with his fingers a little. "I'm sorry I didn't get you the perfect gift. I should have thought more about it..." he said sadly.

Dean frowned, leaning across to catch Cas's fingers. "What are you talking about? Cas, just having you here for Christmas was the perfect gift. Everything else just made it more perfect." He replied simply, wondering how Cas could possibly think this was less than perfect for him. "I love your gifts." He added with a soft smile.

Castiel glanced over at him, "Really?" he asked dubiously. "Your gift was so much more thought out than mine. I feel like I couldn't compare into giving you something worth remembering." he said. "This...it just made me feel like I can't come up into comparison of you." he explained. "You care for me so tenderly and so often, coming to my rescue and giving me all these wonderful things to remember and do and I just feel like...I don't give that to you. I love you so much Dean, but sometimes you outshine and I'm awed by it but I feel like I am also dimming it." he said softly.

"But you're the reason I shine at all." Dean replied, pausing slightly to find the right words. "I've always taken care of the people I care about. Not because I have to or I feel obligated, but because I want to. I like feeling like I matter and make a difference in your life. What made last night memorable wasn't how much I thought about it or planned it, it was seeing your face light up, seeing you react." He stopped again, smiling slightly at the memory of how elated and loving Cas had been. "I'd do anything to see that look again. You might not think you give that to me, but you're what makes it all worthwhile."

Castiel was looking at Dean again with that soft look, the ones that he does whenever Dean touches his heart and makes it flutter wildly in his chest. Dean always melted away his worries and doubts, it was always so loving. He turned his hand in Dean's and held onto it. "I guess I'm not the only one one opens their arms to catch them when they doubt." he said softly. He just kind of stared at Dean for a moment, not really able to say anything. He didn't have words.

Dean smiled, feeling relieved that he'd been able to erase Cas's doubts. "We're here for each other." He replied, stroking his thumb across Cas's knuckles before kissing Cas softly. He never wanted Cas to think that he didn't compare to him, because to him it was Cas who constantly outshone him. He felt like he was playing catch up, but he didn't mind it.

Castiel smiled, leaning into Dean's soft kiss. He reached up with his free hand to stroke Dean's cheek and lightly stroke his hair. He barely broke the kiss before leaning his forehead against Dean's. He had a soft smile on his face, just lightly caressing Dean's face as they held still for the moment.

Dean closed his eyes for a moment, resting his forehead against Cas's and simply savoring the warm love that had spread from his chest. "I still can't believe how lucky I am to have you." He said, smiling as he opened his eyes again to meet Cas's blue. "I must do something pretty great in the future to deserve this much good karma." He joked.

"Or maybe it's because you always deserved something great and happiness." Castiel supplied. He leaned up a bit and gently kissed the corner of Dean's eye, "You were always bound to do great things Dean. I can tell. You're already astonishing." he said softly.

Dean smiled softly and closed his eyes, cherishing Cas's words. He definitely didn't believe in himself, but he believed in Cas. And if he really saw him as that amazing, maybe he could believe in that too.

Castiel smile, kissing Dean's eyelid then the tip of his nose and the side of his lip before he ghosted over Dean's lips with a playful smile. He barely leaned into Dean and gave him a quick peck. "Thank you for making me dinner." he laughed lightly. He reached over Dean and grabbed the water he set aside and downed it. He really needed it, more than he would have thought of when he first drank it.

"You're welcome. Thanks for eating it without gagging." Dean replied with a laugh, taking his own water and arching a brow at how quickly Cas drank his. "Do you want me to get you some more?" He offered, taking a sip.

"Please." Castiel nodded. "I didn't realize how much I needed to drink some before I took a sip." He explained. "Your cooking isn't bad. It's not bad at all. It's actually quite good for someone who doesn't cook regularly." He said.

"It might not be that bad, but it's nothing compared to what you could make. Still, I'm glad you appreciate the effort." Dean replied with a laugh, taking a gulp of his water before standing up. "I'll take these down and get you some more water." He said, taking the plates and Cas's glass before exiting for a few moments. He came back with another full glass of water and offered it to Cas.

Castiel took the water gratefully and drank this glass a lot slower. He slowly finished it and he made a pleased sound after he finished, "That was very refreshing. It was much needed. Thank you." he smiled. He glanced up at Dean, patting the spot next to him. He scooted over a bit, making room. "I'm still not clothed but I don't think you mind. At least I hope you don't." he said.

Dean grinned as sat down with his glass, taking another drink. "No, I don't mind at all." He replied with a laugh. "Personally, I think we have clothes on way too often when it's just the two of us." He joked, chuckling as he scooted next to Cas.

"...Was that your way of saying that we should be naked together more often?" Castiel asked. "I don't know how to take that. What if someone walked in, that would be quite odd or if we are in a more closed area outside of home." he said. He looked over at Dean, "Or was that a way for you to say we should have intercourse more often?" he asked.

Dean laughed, enjoying Cas's reasoning it out. "Yeah, I was saying we should have sex more often." He replied with a grin. "But we can hang around naked too if you want." He teased with a chuckle.

"I don't think anyone would enjoy catching a glimpse of us walking around bare. That would be very awkward. Though even I say that, I am currently naked so I am doing one of the two." Castiel looked at him. "Would you like to have sex more often? I hear there's many things to try. Though what there is, I'm not all that sure." he told him.

Dean arched his brows slightly and smiled. Was Cas offering to have sex more often? He liked the sound of that. "Well, there's all sorts of toys, positions, stuff like that. Some people like to role play. There's all kinds of things we can try." He replied.

"What's role play?" Castiel tilted his head to the side. "Change of positions... I'll do research on what you mean. To see what kind of positions there might be. I know of toys since of course we have them but I'll look more into it if you would like to have intercourse more often." he said. "I wouldn't mind. Not in the least." he added a bit more softly.

"Role play is when you pretend to be different people, like characters. I dunno, I've just heard some people like it." Dean explained with a shrug. "And if you're offering, how can I say no?" He asked in response, smiling.

"So you would say if I offered something you couldn't say no? That's not a good thing Dean, what if I asked you to have intercourse with me somewhere public. That's not good. We could get caught and that would be really bad." Castiel told him. He hummed in thought softly, before it clicked a little. "Like saying me having cat ears. That would fall under the role playing category, yes?" he asked.

"Hm, I don't know, the chance of getting caught might just add to the excitement." Dean replied with a smirk, arching a brow slightly. "Yeah, the cat ears count as role play. I mean, I don't exactly know all the guidelines for this sort of thing, but yeah I think so." He added.

"If you don't know the guidelines then I wouldn't have the littlest idea of what would be." Castiel told him. "How would that add to excitement?" he asked, before he answered it himself. "Adrenaline. That is the feeling that you would feel of the fear of getting caught. Don't you think that's risky?" he asked. "There's people around." he added.

Dean thought about it for a moment and shrugged. "I guess it would depend on where it was. You'd be a lot less likely to get caught in some places than in others." He replied. "But I was just joking. I wouldn't ask you to do something like that if you didn't want to." He assured Cas, not wanting him to think that he expected this of him.

"So you haven't thought of doing something of this sort?" Castiel asked. "Are you saying that if I wanted to do something like this, to be daring enough, that you would attempt it?" he added. He thought about it, "I mean...what do you mean by places you are less likely to get caught?" he asked. "Like what is it that you said to me on the first day...a janitor's closet? You have said that you have kissed multiple females in those closets before, would that be a place?" he asked.

"I mean, I've thought about it, but more as a daydream than actually planning it or expecting it to happen. But yeah, a janitor's closet would probably work pretty well." Dean replied, wondering if Cas was really considering doing this with him. He hadn't really considered it as an option before, but now Cas seemed almost willing to try it.

"You've...you've daydreamed about it before?" Castiel asked him. He glanced over at Dean. "You've actually thought of having intercourse with me somewhere public?" He blushed a bit.

"Well, yeah." Dean replied with a shrug. "Haven't you daydreamed about doing something with me? You know, stuff that might not actually happen, but that you think about anyway?" He asked.

"Living together in our own home." Castiel replied. "Traveling together." He said. "I daydream about them but I hope to make them come true someday." He smiled softly. "Sometimes I think...sometimes I think about having intercourse with you. I try not to sit on the thought since I'm scared someone will know what I'm thinking." He blushed a bit.

Dean smiled softly at Cas's response. "I think about that kind of thing too. I'm not all about sex." He said with a light chuckle. "It's nice because I know that no matter what we do in the future, we're going to be together. That's all that really matters to me." He said more seriously before grinning again. "And no one will know what you're thinking- unless you think about it a little too much and they can see it." He added with a laugh.

Castiel smiled before leaning his head on Dean's shoulder. "I know you don't /just/ think about sexual activities." He said. "It's nice to know you think about what I think about too." He added. "That makes me happy." He told him.

Dean smiled and leaned his head against Cas's. "So we both see a future for ourselves with each other. That's nice. I didn't really think I'd be able to stay with one person until I met you. It's pretty crazy though- Some people spend half their lives looking for what we have, and we're not even out of high school." He said.

Castiel smiled, rubbing his thumb across Dean's hand as he sat there. His mind pondered on what they talked about briefly, "Dean... have you thought about having intercourse with me during school?" He asked. His looked up at Dean, "What have you thought about?" He asked, curious on what have Dean thought.

"Well... You remember that first or second day, when we cut class? And you thought someone was coming, so you pressed me up against the locker?" Dean asked, a smile creeping into his face. "I think about that, but instead of hiding out in the hallway, we duck into a closet." He replied. "At the time I didn't really recognize it, but there was definitely some sexual tension."

"Sexual tension?" Castiel paused, thinking back to when they first met. He thought about when Dean meant then changed it up a bit then he blushed, thinking about them having sex in the closet and he curled himself up a bit. "Oh... that's... arousing..." He murmured. "I... I didn't know you've thought about that." He blushed a bit more.

Dean grinned at Cas's blush and chuckled at his expression. "Yeah, sometimes I think about that stuff. It's fun to imagine on occasion. You don't think about that sort of thing? Fantasies, I guess?"

"I don't know what to fantasize about..." Castiel glanced at Dean. He pressed his lips together, "I... maybe you lifting me and pressing me against the wall. Like when we had that Christmas party...that. I think about that quite occasionally, what would happen if we haven't been interrupted." He said quietly.

"Mm, yeah. That's a good one." Dean replied with a smirk, thinking back to it. "We'll have to figure out what would have happened if we weren't interrupted some time." He added with a grin. "So if you think about that one "occasionally," then what would you have wanted to happen?" He asked curiously, still smiling.

Castiel played with the blankets with his free hand, since the other was in Dean's. "Umm... maybe us having intercourse against the wall... I know the bed is there but I...I like you lifting me up and pressing me against walls...feeling you completely against me." He blushed, looking down at his hand. "Then...I um...kind of liked you covering me like...like when I was kneeling on the bed and you able to see me but I can't...I have to wait and see what you do." He pulled his legs in closer. "...Flipping me over against the wall and pressing me against it as you bite at my neck and maybe...maybe talking to me..." He was completely flustered to tell Dean what he was thinking and hid his face in the blankets. It was making him aroused but he was embarrassed, hearing himself tell Dean what he wanted.

Dean arched a brow slightly, admittedly getting turned on by Cas's description. "Hmm, I like the sound of that." He replied with a smirk, finding it funny that saying it out loud made Cas so embarrassed when actually doing it certainly wouldn't. "Maybe we'll have to try that out sometime." He offered with a grin.

"You don't...you didn't think it's weird for me to say that out loud?" Castiel peeked up from the blankets. "Me telling you what I think about?" he asked. He was still blushing a bit, but he would really actually like to try what he just told Dean, finding it very arousing as well as what Dean said he had thought about before.

"Weird?" Dean repeated questioningly. "No, I don't think it's weird. Honestly, I think it's pretty hot. Besides, if you tell me what you want to do then there's a way better chance we'll try it." He replied, smiling slightly as Cas perked through the blankets.

"You find it appealing?" Castiel asked. "I...I didn't know that it sounded appealing to you." he played with the blanket in between his fingers. "How...how do you imagine us being in a closet together?" he asked. "I want to know what you think about too..." he said.

Dean smiled at Cas as he toyed with his fingers before replying. "Well, it'd be a pretty tight space, so we'd already be close. I would press you up against the wall, right on top of you. We'd have to be completely quiet, but you'd still moan just a little since there wouldn't be anything to keep you totally silent." He said, licking his lips as he finished.

Castiel couldn't help but think about them sneaking into a closet now, he thought about how Dean described it would be like and he let out a soft, "Oh..." he blushed, playing with the blanket a bit more, just looking down at it before he covered his face with the blanket. "That...that uh... makes me actually want to try it now..." he said quietly. "You're making me aroused again..." he muttered.

Dean looked at him, the thought of Cas being willing to try it making him more aroused as well. "Yeah, all this talk about this sort of thing makes me want to try them." Dean replied, feeling the effects of their conversation. He glanced at Cas, internally wondering how sore he felt.

Castiel squeezed his legs together bringing them up slightly so he could hide a little. "What...what would you like to try?" he asked shyly. He peeked up from the blankets to look at Dean, he could see that Dean was just as affected as he was. He squeezed his legs together a little more, trying to not be so obvious and to soothe himself a bit.

Dean glanced down, noticing Cas pulling his legs up a little and smiling slightly. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one affected by just talking about things. "Well, we have four perfectly good walls..." He trailed off, arching a brow suggestively.

Castiel licked his lip a little, "Ah...you mean...what I offered to do?" he asked. He glanced at the walls and blushed a bit, "I..I would like to...If you don't mind.." he said quietly. "I mean...if you're tired or something...we can do it another time."

Dean grinned and shook his head slightly, finding Cas's shyness incredibly endearing but also feeling an urge to replace his light blush with a full flush of pleasure. He didn't reply but instead closed the space between them, moving his hand around the back of Cas's neck to pull him into a rough kiss.

Castiel gasped, moaning into Dean's mouth at his rough treatment. He scooted closer to Dean and slid his hands into Dean's hair and pulled at the ends. He swallowed a bit, feeling excitement run through him, it was exciting to make a fantasy come true and much more rewarding when it actually happened. He kissed Dean deeply, keeping the rough edge like Dean was doing.

Dean felt a pleased shiver run up his spine as Cas pulled at his hair. He wrapped his spare arm around Cas's middle, pulling him close and leaving the blankets behind. His first instinct was to lean forward and lay Cas down against the bed, but he remembered what had started this in the first place and instead tightened his hold around Cas. He moved backwards across the bed until his feet touched the ground, pulling Cas with him as he stood up and maintaining their kiss.

Castiel swallowed a bit, following after Dean. He wrapped his arms around Dean's shoulders, standing up after him. He lightly licked the lower of Dean's lip and sucked on it. He was naked still while Dean had clothes on. He didn't feel embarrassed for being naked though, Dean seemed to like him being bare so why would he think about it.

Dean moaned softly into Cas's mouth, pulling him close again as he stood up. He moved his hand from around Cas's neck to his chest, pushing him backwards slightly as he kept Cas close with his other arm. He wasted no time in moving Cas back up against one of the walls, wanting to have something balance against as he pressed fully against him. He bit at Cas's lower lip, tugging at it slightly and then sucking.

Castiel bumped against the wall, pulling Dean in completely. He moaned, as he gently tugged on Dean's hair. His fingers slid down Dean's back and into the hem of his pants before one of them slid inside his shirt and touched the ridges of his spine, tracing it with his fingers. He was trying to figure out how to keep quiet if this was going to happen since he was already making sounds and they just started.

Dean felt trails of heat follow Cas's fingers up his spine, warming him. He released his grip on Cas for a moment to pull off his shirt, pressing back against Cas to feel his warmth against his skin. "Already so noisy." He commented with a smirk, still holding his shirt in one hand. "It's a shame you have to keep quiet." He murmured, tracing his thumb across Cas's lower lip.

Castiel made a soft sound, gently opening his mouth and licking Dean's thumb. He touched Dean's back more freely now, touching the small of his back and then up to his shoulders.

Dean's lips parted as Cas licked his thumb, unable to resist leaning forward again to catch his lips in a kiss. He kissed him roughly, sucking on his lip and wanting to savor the feeling before he knew he'd have to gag Cas. He briefly considered going to get the ball gag, but was reluctant to leave Cas even for a moment.

Castiel moaned into Dean's mouth, sliding a hand into his hair and one back into the hem of his pants. He gently massaged the area with his fingers as he softly tugged at Dean's hair.

Dean broke apart from their kiss, tugging Cas's hair slightly to tilt his head so that he could suck just below his jaw. He pulled back again, twisting his shirt in his hand and releasing Cas's hair. "Turn around." He murmured against his skin.

Castiel panted, making soft sounds as Dean kissed his skin. He listened to what Dean told him to do and turned around, placing his hands on the wall. He shivered in anticipation, he glanced over his shoulder at Dean, trying to calm his breathing.

Dean's eyes roamed across Cas's back and he stepped forward against him. "You're going to need this." He murmured with a smirk as he looped his shirt over Cas's head, guiding it into his mouth and tying it securely behind his head. His fingertips grazed lightly on Cas's skin, traveling down from his shoulders and ghosting across the bruises on his hips. He pressed his knee between Cas's legs suddenly, pushing them apart as he held him against the wall.

Castiel moaned, squeezing his eyes shut as he brushed against the wall. He shivered under Dean, his knees shaking a little. He clutched the wall, biting down on the gag. He rocked his hips a little on Dean's leg and he gasped, making small noises at the friction.

Dean sucked on the skin of his shoulder, biting on it and tracing his tongue across as he undid his pants, letting them pool around his ankles before kicking them aside. He ran his hand up the inside of Cas's thigh, fondling his balls in his hand as he moved to nip at Cas's earlobe.

Castiel moaned loudly, rolling his hips more. He panted against the wall, whining. He turned his head toward Dean's and gently rubbing his face into his hair.

Dean kept Cas pinned against the wall as he reached over to the night stand and grabbed the lube from where he'd put it last. He traced his nails down along Cas's sides before hitching his legs further apart and putting some lube on his fingers. He slipped one finger in, moving it teasingly, before adding a second and keeping the tantalizing motion. "Do you want me inside of you?" He murmured behind Cas's ear, knowing he couldn't respond but wanting to see his reaction anyway.

Castiel gripped the wall, pressing his forehead against it when his legs were pushed further apart, he shifted his hips outwards a bit when Dean slipped his fingers in. He felt Dean cover him and breath over his ear, he shuddered, rolling his hips onto Dean's fingers for more. He nodded his head frantically, moaning loudly through the shirt. He was so aroused and turned on that it was starting to get a little painful. He felt like by the time Dean had actually got to being inside of him that he would orgasm just from the start.

Dean's breath caught slightly, his desire to draw it out a little being trumped by his arousal and need to feel some relief. He sucked on Cas's shoulder as he pushed himself in, groaning softly against Cas's skin at the sensation. "God, you feel so good." He moaned thickly, closing his eyes as he started rocking into Cas.

Castiel whimpered against the wall, he pushed his hips out more, taking more of Dean in. He panted at Dean's words, feeling a shiver run through him again as his cock spurted just a bit more precum from the strain. He bit the gag, moaning as he met each of Dean's rocking with his own.

Dean arched against Cas, his chest brushing against Cas's back with every motion. One hand clutched at the wall beside Cas's head while the other reached around to stroke him in time. He bit Cas's neck and sucked as Dean increased his thrusting, pressing Cas against the wall each time.

Castiel mewled under Dean, scrambling his hand up to hold onto Dean's. He placed his hand over Dean's and held onto it tightly. He could feel it build and build, coming close. He moaned into the gag, already wetting it with his spit. His knees were starting to buckle from all the pleasure, not able to think of two things at once. He was pressed against the wall and each thrust made his nipples graze the wall, he had his eyes squeezed shut, his knees feeling like they were going to give out as he moaned loudly.

Dean moaned into Cas's skin, feeling the warmth building across his entire body. He could feel Cas going slightly limp from the pleasure, yet still holding his hand tightly, and Dean only pressed against him more as his thrusts came more quickly. He could feel every panting breath Cas made against his chest, and could hear every muffled moan. "You're so good, damn you feel so good." He half hissed, half groaned, speeding up his strokes on Cas.

Castiel started tearing up a bit at how much everything felt to him right now. He felt so good and hearing Dean telling him made him feel all warm and happy that he was so good. He was getting so close.

Dean quickly flipped Cas over, moving his hands to the back of Cas's thighs and hoisted him up and pressed him against the wall. Castiel made muffled sounds before moaning loudly, clenching down slightly on Dean. His head thumped back against the wall as he wrapped his arms and legs around Dean.

Dean bit at his neck before taking his nipple in his mouth. He gripped Cas's hips and thrusted up into him, letting Cas bounce on his cock. Dean grunted a little but made sure to make sure Cas felt good.

Castiel came with half a muffled scream and a sob and he just felt his knees give out but it was Dean and the wall holding him up. He held onto Dean's hand more loosely, slipping from his hold. He was twitching from the aftershocks and shivering at he felt the bursts of pleasure.

Dean felt Cas clench with his orgasm, and the feeling mixed with the sound of Cas's strangled moan of pleasure sent him over the edge a couple of thrusts after Cas. He sucked fiercely on Cas's shoulder to stop himself from crying out. He moved his arm around Cas's middle to help support him as him panted against him, letting him down.

Castiel leaned back onto Dean, panting as his eyes slowly opened a little, trying to focus. He was breathing heavily, he reached up and touched the side of Dean's face with his fingers, tracing into it as he slowly came down from the pleasure.

Dean's breathing slowly began to steady, and he turned his face slightly to kiss Cas's hand. He moved back slightly, still against Cas but no longer pressing him against the wall. His own legs felt unsteady from the exertion and continuously holding Cas against the wall, but he certainly didn't mind. He leaned his head against Cas's head, looking up at him and smiling softly.

Castiel smiled at him with pleased smile, he lazily reached up and reached for the gag but he couldn't untie it. He just left it instead and just leaned against Dean, taking in his warmth and affection.

Dean smiled, moving his hand off of Cas to untie the gag and toss it with the other clothes before replacing his hand against Cas's hip again. He kissed the corner of his mouth softly where it was slightly reddened from the gag. "So was that what you thought it would be like?" He asked with a smile.

"...No...not at all what I was expecting..." Castiel cleared his throat a bit, wrapping his arms around Dean loosely. "That was...I don't know how to describe it. It was so exhilarating, very...arousing. I...I enjoy you talking to me. Is that weird?" he asked "I would really like to do that again..." he said softly. "Maybe not now. We're tired." he said.

Dean laughed lightly. "No, I don't think either of us could do that again right now." He replied, feeling the contented exhaustion in his limbs. "Three times in one day is a new record for us though." He added with a grin. "It's not weird to like hearing me talk. I mean, I like hearing you moan, so I don't think it's strange." He said, pausing for a moment with his body still against Cas's before stepping back slightly so that he could move if he wanted to.

"Four." Castiel told him. "3 times plus our time in the car." he blushed lightly. "Yes, we've done a lot of that today..." he said. "Also, we didn't use condoms today." he commented. He didn't really want to move away from Dean so he didn't move away. "I'm glad you don't think it's strange...I didn't know you like hearing me moan. I would assume it has the same effect as you talking to me has on you." he said.

"Four, you're right." Dean replied with a grin. "I guess we had a lot of pent up want." He said, reaching up and tracing one of the marks he'd left on Cas's shoulder. "So we both like hearing each other. That's a pain since we have to be quiet, but good to know." He mulled aloud.

"Mmm, maybe we can sneak out somewhere together one day and not worry about it." Castiel offered. "We did probably have a lot of want pented up from not having much sexual activities in for a month I believe." he told him. They were still holding onto each other, still feeling Dean inside of him. He was riddled with bites and hickies, they were all over his neck and shoulders while Dean only had a few. "We were in such a rush we forgot about condoms and I was too far pleased to realize that you hadn't. You've cum in me 3 times today, 4 if I count the impala." he said, wiggling his hips a little to show his point. He could feel some dribble out and he let out a soft sound. "I don't feel disgusted though. It's different. A lot more intimate..."

"That's been my fault, I'm sorry." Dean replied, knowing that in his eagerness in the impala he hadn't thought about it, and afterwards when Cas hadn't mentioned it he had forgotten about it as well. "I'm glad you don't mind, but I can go back to being better at remembering." He offered, caring more about what Cas would prefer than what would feel slightly better to himself.

"I...I don't really mind...We've done it 3 times and I haven't caused a fuss for it. It's...I can feel it a lot more when you don't..." Castiel blushed a bit. "You can if you would like...I don't mind." he said softly. "Though...you would probably have to clean me up more often." he added.

"I don't mind. I like taking care of you, remember?" Dean replied with a smile, playing with the ends of his hair. "Plus I like the feeling better too." He added, noticing Cas's blush. "You know you don't need to be embarrassed about this sort of thing, especially if it's something you like." He added.

"I know..." Castiel replied. "Even after everything we do. I still get embarrassed for talking about it. I'm nervous that I'll want something and you'll just think it's completely bizarre and find me appalling or something. I know you won't but I still get that feeling in the back of my mind." He told him.

"Honestly, its pretty endearing to see you get flustered." Dean replied with a chuckle. "But you don't need to worry about what I'll think. Worst case scenario, I won't be as in to it, but I won't think any less of you. Besides, so far we've pretty much liked the same things."

Castiel glanced up at Dean, smiling a little. He paused for second. "You made me want to try to have intercourse in a closet...I guess we kind of influence each other." He told him. "Should we go clean up?" He asked. "Or did you plan to be nestled inside of me all night?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Hmm, you do feel pretty nice..." Dean replied, pretending to contemplate it before chuckling. "Yeah, let's get cleaned up. And then I have a feeling we're going to sleep like logs tonight." He replied as he eased himself out of Caseith a soft sigh.

Castiel made a soft sound, feeling emptier now. He felt some cum run down his leg. He sighed softly, leaning back on Dean. He looked up and kissed the underside of Dean's jaw. "Merry Christmas Dean." He said softly with a small laugh. "Today was amazing as well as yesterday."

Dean smiled, resting his arms around Cas. "Merry Christmas. I'm glad you liked it- I definitely did too. Having you here was amazing." He said, leaning his head against Cas's. "And I'm already looking forward to Christmas next year." He added with a laugh.

Castiel nuzzled Dean, "I look forward to spending everyday with you." He replied. "Okay. We should go get cleaned before I drip on the floor and I fall asleep." He said softly.

Dean smiled, liking the sound of spending every day with Cas. He laughed, nodding and releasing his hold of Cas. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go clean up and then we can sleep." He replied, taking Cas's hand and leading the way to the bathroom.

Castiel stumbled after Dean, he felt sore now. And his legs were not really cooperating. He still tried to walk right it was just a little off. He glanced at the mirror when they walked into the bathroom, his eyes widening when he looked in the mirror. He looked completely wrecked and his neck was really marked up mostly with the last one Dean did. "...wow." He said softly.

Dean glanced up when Cas spoke, looking in the mirror to see what he was looking at. "Oh, uh, sorry. You said something about biting your neck, and well... I guess I got a little carried away." He said sheepishly as he looked from the mirror to Cas, afraid that he would be upset that he had left so many marks.

Castiel was starting in the mirror and running his fingers over them and was staying quiet until he looked over at Dean and pulled him by their linked hands to pulled him closer. He was looking back at Dean, glancing up at him before looking down at Dean's neck, he looked up at him again. "Don't be sorry." He told him before he slid a hand in Dean's hair and tipped his head to the side and started kissing the side of his neck and leaving marks. He bit at his collarbone and shoulder and behind his ear., leaving his own marking on Dean, but mostly hidden. He left litters of them on Dean's neck and looked pleased when he was done, biting his marks. He gently lapped them over. "I love your marks." He told him.

Dean let out a quiet breath as Cas started leaving marks on his neck and collarbone. He smiled as Cas looked up at him, leaning down to press a soft kiss to his lips. "I love your marks too." He replied, tracing over one of the marks on Cas's neck.

Castiel smiled, shivering lightly. He walked them more into the bathroom now and he stepped into the tub and pulled Dean with him. "Would you like me to clean you or would you like me to help?" He asked.

"Hmm, I think we can both do a little." Dean replied with a grin as he followed Cas into the tub. He reached over and turned on the water, feeling it on his hand as it warmed up.

Castiel was looking at Dean's back before he hugged him around the waist and kissed his back. He hummed softly, kissing his shoulders and the back of his neck. "How would you like me to help?" He asked.

"Hmm." Dean hummed in thought, closing his eyes contentedly as Cas kissed his back. "I'll wash you if you wash me." He replied with a grin, opening his eyes and glancing at Cas over his shoulder.

"Mmm, that sounds good." Castiel murmured into his skin. He was lightly touching Dean's chest with his hands as he kissed his back. "2nd shower hmm?" He laughed a little as he reached past Dean and turned the shower on. It slowly washed over them as they stood under the water for a bit.

Castiel grabbed the soap and rubbed it between his hands before leaning back a bit and rubbing Dean's back. He lathered him in suds and over his shoulders and arms, down his chest. He got a little shy at first between Dean's legs, but he was comfortable after a few moments and thoroughly washed Dean. He kissed the back of Dean's neck as he washed him, just feeling his skin under his fingertips.

Dean closed his eyes as Cas's hands roamed across him, just enjoying the his touch. He opened his eyes and turned when Cas finished, putting his finger under his chin and tilting up his face for a soft kiss. Then he moved them around and got the soap, lathering across Cas's body and gently cleaning him out.

Castiel leaned against Dean, parting his legs for him when he cleaned him out. He sighed softly with his head leaning on his chest. He was tired and sleepy, standing in the warm water with Dean. He dozed off a little but woke himself up so Dean wouldn't have to carry him back to bed too. He reached over and turned off the water. He reached over for the towels, almost tripping a bit as he grabbed them and handed them back to Dean.

Dean frowned slightly as he saw Cas falter, tossing one of the towels across his shoulder and taking the other one as well. He ran it over Cas's body and hair before wrapping it around him, and then dried himself off as well. Castiel let Dean dry him off, taking in the gently care Dean was giving him.

"Do you want help? I don't want you to hurt yourself. Plus I know you're probably pretty sore." Dean added, hoping Cas would let him help so that he wouldn't fall or anything.

"No, no, no it's okay. I'm awake." Castiel shook his head slightly. "I can do it." he told him. He held onto the towel around him as he looked up at Dean. He was sleepy but he felt like he was awake enough to at least get back to bed. He slowly tried to get out of the tub, getting one leg out first before he slipped a bit.

Dean reached out and caught Cas quickly, terrified that Cas would fall on the slick floor. "Cas, come on, just let me help you. Please? It'll make me feel better." He said, holding Cas to stop him from moving anymore but not wanting to pick him up after he'd said no without his permission.

Castiel felt bad now for giving Dean a start and not being able to get to bed at least. He let out a soft breath, not wanting to scare Dean anymore. "Okay." he replied. "I'm sorry for scaring you." he added, glancing up at Dean with an apologetic look. "I thought I was awake enough, since I'm still able to talk to you." he told him.

Dean smiled, relieved that Cas had agreed. "It's okay, I'm just glad you didn't fall." He replied as he stepped out of the tub.

"It's because you were there." Castiel told him.

Dean turned around once he was out and leaned over to pick Cas up easily. "I don't blame you for being so tired- we did a lot." He continued.

Castiel leaned his head onto Dean, "Yes we did. I don't regret it in the least." he told him. "One of these days I'm going to get too big for you to carry me, or maybe I can carry you one day." he said. He let out a soft breath again, closing his eyes as he leaned against Dean.

Dean smiled as he walked over to the bed, stroking Cas's back lightly. "Okay, sometime I'll get you to carry me, just to see what it's like." He replied as he sat Cas on the bed and immediately followed him.

Castiel nodded slightly, making a sound to show that he was listening before he laid down. He had closed his eyes already and he was falling asleep. He reached out for Dean and pulled himself close, he wrapped his arm around him. He fell asleep right after.

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas and moved closer to him as he pulled up the blankets. "Night, Cas." He murmured though he knew Cas was already out. He fell asleep quickly, snuggled up against him.


	21. Grand Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day after Christmas, they think they'll get to rest but Castiel forgot about news he got a month ago. Now it's time to suit up. Let's go to a party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really sorry for the late update, been caught up in things then also procrastinating. I'm sorry, but I'll be sure to do my best for the next chapter.

Tomorrow morning, Castiel didn't wake up like he usually did. He just snuggled into Dean and kept on sleeping. They didn't have to do anything, so they could stay in bed.

Dean woke up slowly, his arms still around Cas. He opened his eyes and smiled, seeing Cas still asleep. He reached over to lightly play with the ends of his hair, not wanting to wake him up just yet. It had been pretty exhausting yesterday, and Dean was enjoying how peaceful and relaxed he looked.

Castiel made a soft pleased sound at Dean playing with his hair but he kept sleeping. He let out a small breath and snuggled further into Dean's warmth.

Dean chuckled softly as Cas snuggled into him, propping himself up on his elbow to be able to look at Cas better. He didn't often wake up before Cas, so it was nice to have a moment to watch him sleep. He considered going to make breakfast again, starting to slip himself out of Cas's arms.

Castiel made a sad and a displeased sound at the lost of warmth. He clung onto Dean, wanting him to stay.

Dean smiled and settled back in with Cas, deciding he could wait to make breakfast. "I'm glad you like having me around so much." He murmured quietly, going back to stroking his hair. "I used to think myself as a lone wolf type of thing, but I'm definitely happier with you." He mulled, thinking quietly out loud without trying to wake him.

Castiel felt better that the warmth was around him again, he pressed close to it. He was listening subconsciously and he smiled a little in his sleep and softly squeezed Dean. He didn't wake up yet though, yesterday really took a toll on him and he was making up for it. He just leaned onto Dean and breathing softly.

Dean watched Cas, feeling his breathing and smiled. "I realy tired you out, huh? You're probably going to be sore today. Sorry about that- but you probably won't mind so much. It was definitely a good Christmas. And Christmas Eve." He continued with a grin. "I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did- as much as you seemed to like it."

Castiel slowly was waking up, hearing all the soft talking. He slowly blinked, glancing up at Dean. "...Good morning..." He said softly. "You're up." He realized. "Was...was I sleeping for long?" He blinked a bit more to wake up.

Dean smiled at Cas's expression, still stroking his hair. "Morning, sleepy. Nah, you weren't asleep too long. Well, maybe a little while, but I don't mind." He replied. "Did you get enough rest? You were pretty exhausted yesterday."

"M' still a bit tired." Castiel told him. He didn't move yet, he stayed snuggled up in Dean. "I was pretty exhausted but it was the good kind. Plus we don't have anything to do. So it's okay to sleep in." He said.

"You can go back to sleep if you want." Dean offered. "I don't mind- it's relaxing. Plus you look like a cat when you sleep, all curled up against me." He added with a smile, his arm still around Cas.

"M' you're kitty." Castiel smiled softly. "I have the ears, collar and tail...M' your kitty." He said. He was breathing in Dean's scent, smelling his soap from yesterday and he was comfortable.

Dean smiled and chuckled lightly at his drowsiness, stroking Cas's hair again. "Yeah, you're my kitty. You're the best kitty." He replied with a grin.

Castiel nuzzled into Dean, moving his head to the side a little and opened his mouth slightly so he could make a purring sound. He was playing a little and laughing lightly but he made the small purr sound to emphasize how happy he was. Dean was petting his hair so he was becoming drowsy again.

Dean laughed lightly, ruffling Cas's hair. "You're adorable." He said before noticing how sleepy he looked. "Do you want to go back to sleep? I could make breakfast. Or just lay here, whichever." He offered with a smile.

"Whichever you want..." Castiel smiled drowsily. "But the bed will be cold without you..." He added. "So...come back soon if you go." He murmured.

"Hmm, maybe I'll wait then. I don't want you to get cold." Dean replied jokingly with a smile. "Plus, some actually good food would be nice." He added with a laugh.

"M' might be really sore...haven't moved yet." Castiel mumbled. "Still too tired to feel..." he told him. "If not...I'll cook for you..." he said, already with his eyes closed. "Your food is good..." he added.

"That's true, if you're sore I won't make you move or anything." Dean replied. "I'll make breakfast, don't worry about it. You need some rest, clearly." He said, shifting away from Cas slightly.

Castiel made a small sound at the lost of his warmth, "Are you leavin'?" He asked quietly. "Come back soon..." He added. "S'cold without you." He told him.

"Here, I'll let you replace me with a pillow for now." Dean replied with a smile, moving out of the bed and replacing a pillow in Cas's arms. He reached over and made sure the blanket was snug around his shoulders so that he wouldn't get cold, and then pulled on some clothes. "I'll be right back." He said as he walked out of the room for a little while.

Castiel squeezed the pillow close, burying his face into it and fell asleep again. The pillow smelled like Dean but it wasn't warm but he settled for it. He slept the whole time Dean was away, this was the longest he had ever slept in before, if he ever did.

Dean returned a while later with a tray of food and some water for them both. He had toast and scrambled eggs, as well as jam, butter, and peanut butter to put on the toast. He smiled as he came back in and saw Cas curled around the pillow- he really was tired.

Castiel lightly stirred in his sleep, smelling food. He slowly blinked awake again, talking incoherently. He rubbed his eyes as his mind was starting to process again, "...You're back..." he stated. "Did...Did I sleep the whole time?" he asked softly.

"Yep." Dean replied cheerfully as he sat down next to Cas. "Even if you're not sore-and you probably will be- I think it's be a good idea for you to just rest today. Rest and eat." He amended, gesturing to the tray of food.

Castiel looked up at the tray, feeling the hunger now. He slowly began to sit up and he groaned a little. "I'm very sore..." he said as he sat there. "Do you think I should take pain pills? Though you said I should stay in bed today? Don't you think they are going to question why they haven't seen me?" he asked.

"Yeah, some pain pills would probably be a good idea." Dean replied, going to grab the bottle for him and handing it to Cas with the water. "And maybe you'll feel better by lunch, or dinner. But for now, there's nothing wrong with wasting away the morning." He said with a smile as he sat back down beside him. "'Sides, there's nothing we need to be doing today anyway."

Castiel took out a few pills and drank them with his water. He smiled at Dean. "Spending the day doing nothing sounds nice." He said. "Maybe after this, may you massage my hips for me please? And possibly my lower back?" He asked nicely. "It's okay if you don't want to. I'm sure the pain pills will work soon." He said.

"Of course, I don't mind at all. I'll do whatever will feel good." Dean replied, willing to massage him even if the pills did start to kick in. "Especially since I'm the reason you're so sore." He added with a chuckle.

"Thank you Dean." Castiel smiled. He slightly reached over Dean for their plates and settled again once he had it in his lap. "Also for making me breakfast, though I know I was trying to keep you in bed this morning." he laughed a little. He ate some of the eggs Dean made and they were better than the last time he made them, the toast wasn't burnt either. It was crispy, like how he enjoys it. He smiled, continuing to eat.

"As much as I would have loved to stay in bed with you, my stomach won out." Dean replied with a laugh, taking his plate and starting on his eggs. "Hey, some of your chef skills might be rubbing off on me." He commented with a grin, noticing that the eggs tasted better than he'd expected. He'd already been proud of mastering the toaster.

"You are a good cook." Castiel smiled. "Thank you for cooking me breakfast again." he said. "Maybe I should teach you how to cook a few things one of these days, when it gets warmer. I know that you like to eat hamburgers so that could be a start." he hummed. "I'll try to think of a few things that would be easy for you to cook and then I'll teach you it. Anything you would like to learn how to cook?" he asked.

"Hmm, no, nothing in particular. Anything other than spaghetti and mac n cheese would be an improvement." Dean replied with a laugh as he picked up a slice of toast. "I'd say pie, but I'm afraid if I knew how to make those then I'd probably die of pie overdose."

Castiel laughed, "You can't die of a pie overdose. There's no such thing." he said. "And besides, I feel that if I taught you how to make pie, you would replace me with the abundance amount of pies you could make and that would make me sad." he told him. "So I think I'll keep that recipe to myself." he smiled. "Then you can't get rid of me if you love my pies."

"That's true, I'm definitely only keeping you around for your pies. Better keep that recipe." Dean teased with a grin as he set his empty plate aside. "Now come here, pie maker, if you still want that massage."

Castiel laughed lightly, setting aside his finished plate as well and drinking the rest of his water before coming closer to Dean. "How do you want me to be sitting? Or resting?" he asked.

"You said hips and lower back, right? So maybe laying on your stomach?" Dean suggested. "Whatever is comfortable. I've never given a massage so I don't know what I'm doing." He added with a laugh.

"Mmm, that's fine." Castiel replied, lying down next to Dean. "I don't mind...you're trying to make me feel better and that's the most important thing to me." he said.

"You say that now, but I haven't even tried yet." Dean replied with a laugh before he situated himself beside Cas. "Okay, tell me if anything hurts or doesn't feel good and I'll try something different." He said, starting to knead at his lower back.

Castiel bundled the blanket nearby and put his face in it, it hurt a little from being sore but it felt nice. He let out a slow breath, letting Dean knead his back. He made a small content sound at the feeling, feeling himself relax a bit.

Dean slowly moved across Cas's back, varying pressure as he massaged around to his hips. He could feel Cas relax slightly and smiled, glad he was actually managing to make it feel good for him.

"Mmm...that feels nice." Castiel mumbled into the blankets. He could feel Dean pressing down on some areas and it made him feel pliant again. He had bruises around his hips so he felt Dean being careful around them as he continued to massage him. He let out a few content sounds and pleased ones as Dean continued, feeling a lot better but reluctant to tell Dean to stop.

Dean massaged the area that Cas had said, not wanting to do too much to them if they were sore, so he began to knead at his shoulders. He was enjoying how content and relaxed he was making Cas, and that he seemed to be enjoying it.

Castiel felt really relaxed now, he thought that Dean was going to put him to sleep if he continued. "Thank you Dean...you can stop now..." He murmured.

Dean stopped, plopping down beside Cas so that he was lying down as well. "Do you feel better? You seem pretty relaxed." He commented, thinking that Cas almost looked like he was sleeping again.

"M' feel much better." Castiel murmured. He slowly opened his eyes to look back at Dean with a content smile. "M' very relaxed...it was very nice." he let out a soft breath. "Thank you."

Dean chuckled at how laid back Cas looked. "Good. I might have been the one to make you a sore, but at least I made you feel better too." He commented.

Castiel smiled, "Come closer. I want to hug you." he said softly. "I want to cuddle." he laughed lightly. "I still need to put on clothes eventually and get out of bed." he noted.

Dean shifted and moved closer to Cas, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. "Mm, I don't think you really need to do either of those things. I like this." He replied with a grin, giving him a small squeeze.

"I can't spend the day naked Dean." Castiel laughed lightly. "I still need to cook later." he told him. He snuggled in closer to Dean and pressed his head into the crevice of his neck and sighed softly.

"Yeah, eventually. But for now this is nice." Dean replied with a smile, cradling Cas's head with one hand in his hair. The other arm was resting around him, content to simply lie there a while.

Castiel made an agreeing sound as he slowly breathed in Dean's scent, closing his eyes. He tangled their legs together and put his arm around Dean to hug him. Spending a day in bed wasn't something he'd do, but if Dean was with him he'd be happy to.

Dean smiled, lightly brushing his thumb back and forth in Cas's hair. He definitely wanted Cas to get all the rest he needed, and he was more than happy to stay in bed all day. It wouldn't be the first time he'd barely moved all day- although usually he'd take breaks to watch tv.

"Love you..." Castiel mumbled into his skin, he was so content and full of affection. He was happy. He squeezed Dean softly, "...Spend a day in bed with me..."

Dean smiled softly, returning his squeeze. "Love you too. And you don't have to ask me twice." He added with a light chuckle, more than happy to lie in bed all day with Cas.

"...What do you do on New Years?" Castiel asked after a few moments, still having his eyes closed. He wasn't exactly sleepy but it was nice to lay there. "Can we go back to the hill?"

"Of course, if you want to. Maybe this time we can actually watch the stars." Dean replied with a grin. "And there'll probably be fireworks we can watch too." He added with a smile, already looking forward to it.

"I haven't watched fireworks before." Castiel smiled. "I'd love to watch them with you. And watch the stars. Maybe it'll be nicer out and we don't have to bundle as much." he said. He hummed softly into Dean's skin before he heard his phone go off. He sighed a little before moving away from Dean and reaching for his phone. He settled back near Dean and opened it. It was from Gabriel asking if they got his gifts and if they'd like them. He typed his reply and a thank you, hoping he was having a nice trip. He got a message right after and his eyes widened.

Dean smiled, knowing that they would probably end up cuddled together regardless of the weather. He was unconcerned with Cas's phone going off, looking over at Cas before closing his eyes again. "Is that Gabriel? Tell him he has good taste." He joked with a laugh, not noticing the change in Cas's demeanor.

"Ah...yeah. I will." Castiel replied. He slowly slid out of bed. "Dean...I need to go. There's somewhere I need to be and I might not be back tonight or two." he looked back at Dean before standing up and wincing a little before walking over to his things. "If you would like to see me off, that would be fine but if not I can send for someone." he told him. He picked through his clothes for his better looking ones and grabbed a small pouch of makeup.

Dean's eyes opened and his brows knitted together in confusion. "Wait, what? What's going on?" He asked as he sat up, concern clearly apparent in his face. He could tell that something wrong, and he didn't like the sound of Cas not returning for a few nights.

Castiel glanced back at Dean, "I... I have a family party I have to go to...Michael will be there and possibly Lucifer, so I have to go..." He told him. He looked at Dean sadly, not wanting to go but he had to. If he didn't then there would be consequences to pay.

Dean's frown deepened. "A family party?" He echoed, now becoming more worried. "Well, of course I'll drive you if you want. Why won't you be back tonight or maybe tomorrow though?" He asked, a familiar anxiety settling in the pit of his stomach.

"I'll need to stay for family business after, press, conferences, pictures. Hopefully nothing more than that..." Castiel sighed. "I will try to return tonight but I may not." He told him. He glanced up at Dean, "I wish you could come with me..." He said sadly. He held his dress clothes in his hands before reaching for his phone, he sent a text to Gabriel asking if he could bring Dean.

Castiel didn't know if Dean wanted to come, it was really overwhelming to be in parties like that. Gabriel texted him back telling him that it didn't matter, if he couldn't just bring him anyways. Castiel glanced up at Dean, "...Would you like to come with me? You don't have to, I understand. My family is also going to be there, plus I may not always be there with you. It's really overwhelming but I found no harm in asking.." He said.

Dean perked up at Cas's offer, immediately deciding that he wanted to come. "Yeah, definitely. I'd feel a whole lot better being there, even if it's gonna be overwhelming." He replied, feeling his tension ease slightly. If he could be there with Cas, maybe he'd be able to help protect him from his family. He thought for a few moments as he went to his closet, glancing at the nice clothes Cas had and finding his own. "So... If this is going to be such a public thing, will it matter if we're together?" He asked, thinking about all the press and things, unsure how much anyone would care or if they would have to disguise their relationship.

"...I'm not sure." Castiel replied. "No one in our family has ever turned out to be a homosexual..." he swallowed a bit, twisting his fingers.

Castiel bit the inside of his lip before going to get changed, he carefully applied on makeup and all the bruises and hickies were covered. He looked in the mirror to make sure that all of them were covered and that he didn't miss any. He slowly pulled on his dress clothes and did his tie. He ran some water to smooth down his hair and flatten it. He looked in the mirror one last time before walking out of the bathroom, thinking of what to do at the party if he brought Dean. He was questioning if it was a good idea to bring him now. Was this going to be a good decision? Maybe he should ask Dean to stay home.

"I don't know about our relationship Dean...maybe we shouldn't be open about it there if you would still like to come." Castiel said. "Gabriel and Anna know, possibly Raphael but not anyone else. I think it would be better if we didn't make it obvious." he told him, feeling sad that he wouldn't be able to hold Dean's hand when he got nervous or scared. He looked up at Dean, "Maybe you can stay home, maybe this isn't such a good idea for you to come Dean. I don't want you to leave you all alone in a place you don't understand, where people are going to be everywhere and I might not always be with you." he offered. "It's very different going to things like these and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or anything...it's okay if you want to stay here, you can just drop me off and I can ask for someone to send me home after."

"I don't how uncomfortable or out of place I'd feel. I want to come for you and nothing else matters to me. It's going to suck to have to hide ourselves," Dean admitted with a frown, "But I still want to go if there's any part of you that wants me there." He said. "So if you want me to come, I'll go change." He finished, desperately wanting to go to protect him but resigned to stay if Cas wanted him to.

Castiel bit the inside of his lip, "...I..." he paused. "I want you to come...but I'm scared and nervous for you and myself...It's possible, though very slim, all of my siblings will be there...Michael, Lucifer, Zachariah, Raphael..." he listed a few. "I don't want you to be so caught up into them, that they bully you...that they put you down or harm you. I selfishly want you to be there because I feel safer with you but I...I can do it alone. I don't want you to be harmed or anything." he said.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I always am." Dean replied with a slight smile before going into the bathroom to change as well. He was admittedly nervous to be surrounded by Cas's family after hearing so much about them, especially since he wasn't sure if Anna and Gabriel had really forgiven him yet. He combed through his hair and sighed, figuring he'd find out soon enough. "Well, I'm ready if you are." He told Cas as he came out of the bathroom.

Castiel was standing there fidgeting as he waited for Dean to come back out, he was nervous even though Dean was coming, it made him feel better but also more nervous. What if he messes up? What if Dean gets troubled? What if Dean gets mad at him? He had so many questions on his mind as he waited. He looked up when Dean came out and he gave a slight nod. "Let's get this over with..." He said softly before grabbing a jacket and started walking to the door, he looked back at Dean before walking back to him and giving him a soft kiss. "I hope everything turns out okay..." he said.

Dean smiled and rested his hand against Cas's cheek. "It'll be fine." He replied with more confidence and assurance than he actually felt. He gave Cas another quick kiss before grabbing his coat and keys, taking Cas's hand while he still had the option to.

Castiel squeezed his hand, "It's a bit of ways from here. I hope you don't mind the drive..." he said. He started walking with Dean to the car, "Should you tell Sam or Bobby that you are leaving? That you may or may not be home later?" he asked. "I don't know how long this might be. It might be a while." he said.

"I don't mind the drive. It relaxes me anyway." Dean replied. "Yeah, give me one second." He added, releasing Cas's hand to go quickly explain the situation to Bobby before returning out to the car. "It's all good. I'm just going to call whenever we're coming back." He said, hoping that it wouldn't last as long as Cas feared it might.

Castiel nodded, looking out the window a bit worriedly before looking back at Dean. He sighed, "Okay...Let's go." he said. After Dean started the car, Castiel immediately reach for his hand and held onto it. If they had a whole night ahead of them where they couldn't touch, he'd make up for it now and try to take it in as comfort for later. He directed Dean as they went, having the low music playing in the background as the drove. The closer they got, the more nervous Castiel became. He didn't really say much as they drove expect directions. They were nearby and he felt an attack crawling under his skin.

Dean glanced at Cas as they got closer, seeing the apprehension on his face. "It's going to be alright." He assured him softly, giving his hand a squeeze. He wasn't sure what exactly to expect, but anything that made Cas this nervous had to be bad news. Dean was determined to make sure it all turned out okay though.

Castiel glanced over at Dean, taking in a breath and nodding slightly. He needed to calm down. He closed his eyes and started breathing and counting, he was okay. He gently squeezed Dean's hand, rubbing his thumb over his knuckles. He calmed down a bit but he was still nervous, but this he could handle. He could do this, like he has a million times before. It was always easier to deal with older adults than his peers, the patronizing glares and mumbling made him more anxious than adults belittling him. It was easy to prove adults wrong, but when it came to his peers no matter what he said, they didn't care. It was like fighting for a lost battle, no matter what he did or said, it wouldn't change their mind. They soon came to a park in the cut off area for all the parking. Castiel glanced at Dean, "Are you ready to see what my world was like?" he asked softly.

Dean nodded and smiled slightly. "As ready as I'll ever be." He replied, trying to lighten the mood slightly. "And it's only for a little while. We'll be back home again soon." He said as he parked and cut the engine, giving Cas's hand one final squeeze before getting out of the car and letting Cas lead the way.

Castiel took one more calming breath before leading Dean into the building. The front didn't ask him who he was, and he made sure to keep Dean close so he wouldn't be questioned. They were walking down a grand hall before he saw the ballroom they had to be in. They opened the door for them and it was almost crowded with gowns and tuxedos chattering to themselves. No one spared them a glance as they stepped in. Castiel took a breath before he slipped into his press facade. He walked through the crowd with Dean, slowly making it way through the guest until he found Gabriel.

"Oh you made it. And...you brought Dean." Gabriel commented.

"...Why am I here Gabriel. Why is this now?" Castiel asked.

"I don't know. I got called away from my vacation for this." Gabriel shrugged.

"Who's here?" Castiel asked.

"I haven't seen anyone much yet, Anna is over there. I thought I saw Michael but he escaped somewhere. I'm not sure about everyone else." he said.

Castiel sighed, "How long do I have to be here?" he asked.

"I don't know." Gabriel replied.

Dean's eyes widened slightly as they first entered, trying to keep the surprise off of his face. He was more than happy to stick close to Cas- he definitely didn't belong here, and he felt as though at any moment everyone would notice just how poorly he fit in. He felt a slight relief at seeing Gabriel, grateful for a familiar face. "So neither of you actually knows what's going on?" He asked, glancing from Gabriel to Cas.

"No." They both replied.

Castiel glanced at Dean, "Tilt your head up slightly, set your shoulders back a little higher and stand up straighter. When you walk, walk with a sense of purpose. They won't think much of you if you can blend in." he told him.

Gabriel glanced around, "Oh shit...Heads up. Big douchebag coming our way." he whispered.

Castiel stood ramrod straight, tensing up a bit as they saw Michael approach them. "Evening." He greeted, glancing Cas up and down with an emotionless face.

"Good evening Michael." Castiel greeted politely.

"What brings a disgrace like you back to us?" Michael smiled.

Castiel winced internally before smiling politely. "I was invited to come, more like demanded. A disgrace like myself wouldn't dare show up in front of a presumptuous cretin like yourself if I wasn't." he said sweetly.

Dean did as Cas instructed, straightening his posture and suddenly remembering the similar advice he'd given Cas at school. It seemed like their roles had switched now- Dean was completely clueless while Cas knew exactly what was going on. His eyes narrowed as Michael came, noticing Cas tense up, and clenching his jaw slightly at his remark. He stayed quiet, still not sure enough of the situation to go to Cas's defense. He couldn't help but smile at Cas's retort, glad that he could handle himself even if it meant Dean was just there for moral support.

"You insolent little brat." Michael gritted through his smile. "No wonder why you've failed at so many thing because you don't have the decency to know what is right." he said.

"Dear brother, you don't know what is right if it came hurling toward you face." Gabriel laughed.

"I know what is right. I am not a mere child anymore Michael. I will not stand to be degraded by you and telling me what I wish for in life. I do not desire to be part of the company nor will I ever will be." Castiel told him determinedly.

"We'll see." Michael replied, no longer smiling before he turned on his heels and walking away again.

Castiel let out a breath and relaxed a bit. Gabriel grinned, clapping Castiel on the back. "You grew a pair while I was away. Good for you." he said proudly.

Dean grinned as well, enjoying the new confidence Cas seemed to have obtained. "Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen you do that to someone. It was awesome." He said to Cas, his nerves starting to steady after witnessing just how well Cas had learned to take care of himself.

Castiel let out a small breath before looking over at Dean with a soft smile. "It's only because I have to protect the one thing that is keeping me sane. I can't let the unknown and my family step over you." he said. "I have the will to fight back because I have something to fight for." he told him.

"Well that just gone from really badass to really sappy in .5 seconds flat." Gabriel commented.

Dean smiled, feeling a rush of pride that Cas wanted to fight for him. He felt a desperate urge to kiss Cas or take his hand, but he caught himself and instead turned to Gabriel to ignore the feeling. He laughed at Gabriel's comment and shrugged. "Yeah, that tends to happen with us." He replied.

"Ew. Couples." Gabriel laughed.

Anna came over to greet them, curtsying when she arrived. "Good Evening Castiel...Dean. Happy belated Holidays." she said softly.

Castiel looked over at her before smiling, "As to you, sister. You look very beautiful." he said.

"Thank you." Anna smiled. "Have you spoken to Michael?" she asked.

"Yes, we just threw out the trash not long before you came." Gabriel snorted.

"He seems to be in a foul mood today." Anna commented. "Possibly it is because Lucifer had said he was coming but hasn't shown up. Or Raphael and Zachariah being his footmen are nowhere to be seen yet." she said.

Dean felt relieved that neither Gabriel or Anna seemed to have held a grudge against him. He listened to their exchange, not exactly sure what to make of it but knowing there was a lot of tension. He knew Raphael, but had only heard Cas mention the names of the others on occasion.

Castiel sighed softly before looking over at Dean, "Would you like to go get some food? I know they serve some here if you would like to try some." he said. "It'll pass the time while we figure out what is happening." he said. He wanted to reach out for Dean's hand but he just stood close by and walked next to him to where he had to go. He gestured to the table, pointing out what is what and things that Dean would possibly like. "And then for the desserts-" he bumped into someone. "Excuse me...I'm sorry." he apologized.

"My, my. Has it been a while Castiel." an accent rang out with a smile in his tone.

Castiel glanced up, "Balthazar?" he said at first before it clicked, "Yes, it has been sometime. How do you do?" he asked.

Balthazar nodded a little, "Much of the same, I see you brought...a friend." he looked Dean up and down and gave him a polite smile.

"Yes..my friend." Castiel replied. He looked over at Dean to see if he would like to introduce himself.

Balthazar caught Cas's hand and kissed his knuckles. "Age has done you well Castiel. You are much more enthralling now than you were as a child." he smiled.

Castiel smiled politely and gently pulled his hand away. "We are the same age Balthazar." he said.

"That we are. Still can't say that there are /better/ things out there than things that are so close by." he said, glancing over at Dean. He leaned over and kissed Castiel on the cheek. "I fear I must go. Let's catch up again sometime." he smile before leaving.

Dean's brow arched as Balthazar kissed Cas's knuckles, watching him skeptically and refraining from introducing himself. He frowned slightly as he kissed Cas's cheek, waiting until he was out of earshot before turning to speak to Cas. "He seemed..." Dean trailed off, deciding not to finish that thought. "You two seem close." He said instead, waiting from Cas to explain and fighting back a flare of jealousy that someone else could saunter over and kiss Cas on the cheek when Dean couldn't even hold his hand.

"Balthazar and I?" Castiel looked over at Dean. "...I suppose you can say that. We have know each other since we were young. He used to have private tutoring with me when we were neighbors. He moved not long after and would come by occasionally to visit when we'd have large meetings like these. I don't know exactly what you mean by close, but if you are talking about his greeting. He has always greeted me like that. It's normal for him." he replied.

"Hm. If you say so." Dean replied, eyes following Balthazar until he disappeared into the crowd before turning back to Cas. He knew he should be happy that Cas seemed to have one more person on his side, but, as ridiculous as he knew it was, he got a strange feeling about him. "Well, anyway, did you want to get some food?" He asked, trying to put it out of his mind.

"That would be nice. Would you like me to get us something?" Castiel asked. "I think I would know better on what you would possibly like than having you try everything, but there's no harm in that if you would want to." he said. "It's going to be a long night since we have no idea how long we'll have to be here so I hope I can make you comfortable enough." he said. "I'll have to greet people soon and possibly see more of my siblings." he sighed. "So I'll try to spend as much time with you as I can before I have to go." he said.

Dean nodded. "Okay, I trust you to know what I like." He replied, not liking the idea of having to be separated from Cas but feeling fairly certain that they could both manage on their own for a while. Dean figured he'd just try to stay out of anyone's attention while Cas had to do other things.

Castiel nodded a little before getting a small plate and grabbing a few things and another small plate for sweets. He came back to Dean, gesturing to the balcony where they can talk a lot more quietly than being in the ballroom. He handed a napkin to Dean and the fork as he held the plate. "Would you like me to get you something to drink? There's mostly alcohol here but I can find something else if you would like." he offered.

Dean followed Cas out, grateful to get away from the crowd for a little while. "Thanks." He said, taking the napkin and fork that Cas offered. Something alcoholic actually sounded good right now, to ease his nerves, but Dean wanted to stay sharp at the same time. "Anythings fine, alcohol or not." He said, deciding he'd leave it up to Cas.

"How do you handle alcohol?" Castiel asked. "I don't want you to get sick if I give you some." he said. "I have a tolerance to it but I don't want you to be reckless or anything if you might have a low tolerance." he said. "I can get you something light if you wish and some water." he offered.

"I can hold my own pretty well. It runs in the family." Dean replied with a laugh, knowing that he would be fine with whatever Cas got him. "I'll have whatever you're having, and some water too." He said, figuring that would take the edge off.

Castiel nodded a little before going back into the ballroom to get them drinks. On his way back he bumped into Balthazar again. "Seems like we're bumping into each other quite often." Balthazar smiled.

"Yes. It seems so." Castiel replied.

"Where's your friend?" he asked.

"He's waiting for me to return with drinks." Castiel told him.

"I'm sure he is. How are you Castiel?" Balthazar asked.

"I am quite well." Castiel smiled a little.

"You look well. Seems that you aren't struggling with eating that much are you now? You look very dashing tonight." Balthazar complimented.

"Thank you. As do you. You always knew how to make an appearance." Castiel commented.

"Only when I'm trying to impress." Balthazar laughed. Someone bumped into Castiel knocking him forward a little and Balthazar caught him. "Still small and light are you?" he teased.

Castiel blushed lightly. "I am much bigger than how I used to be." he said.

Dean ate the food Cas had gotten him, waiting idly for him to return. His foot started to tap of its own accord as he became aware that it was taking Cas a long time to just get a few drinks. He was probably just talking to Gabriel or Anna, or some other sibling, Dean tried to tell himself. Yet he couldn't shake the bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He walked back towards the ballroom, spotting Cas and... His eyes narrowed when he recognized Balthazar.

Balthazar felt someone's eyes on him and he glanced up to see Dean glaring at him. He smirked and squeezed Castiel a bit closer. He looked down at Castiel again, "You're so easily pushed around in the sea of people, still so short." he teased.

Castiel huffed. "I can still grow. Men do not stop growing until they are in their 20's I still have time." he said determinedly.

"Yeah but then you won't be that cute little kid I used to play with." Balthazar smiled before shifting around Castiel so Dean couldn't see Castiel's face.

Castiel grumbled a bit, "We are the same age Balthazar, do not treat me as a child." he said.

"Right sorry." Balthazar laughed, "Oh you have something on you eyelash, I'll get it for you." he said, glancing at Dean before leaning into Castiel a bit as Castiel looked at him, "I can get it." he said.

"No I can get it, just close your eyes and count to three." Balthazar told him.

Castiel sighed, as he closed his eyes and started counting. Balthazar leaned in closer and what it looked like from Dean's angle looked like Balthazar was kissing him. Balthazar was laughing a bit before gently touching Castiel's eyes lashes and kissing Castiel's cheek.

"I must go now. I fear I have things to attend to. Bye Castiel." he smiled before going back into the sea of people.

Dean's glare intensified as Balthazar moved closer to Cas, a knot of jealousy burning in his stomach. His jaw dropped in disbelief as he saw Balthazar lean over and kiss Cas. He blinked, completely stunned, before his anger reared up. His jaw clenched as he pushed over towards Cas, Balthazar disappearing just as he arrived.

"What was that?" He demanded, not bothering to preface the question.

Castiel quickly looked over at the angered voice. "Dean." he said. He was confused on why he was looking so angry and riled up, "What was what Dean?" he asked, thoroughly confused. "If it's about the drinks, I'm sorry I took such a long time. They might be a little warm now since they've been in my hands but...if you want a new drink I can get you another." he said, trying to wonder why Dean was so mad.

Dean stared at him, unable to believe that Cas was going to pretend he didn't know what Dean was talking about. "I don't care about the damn drinks. I saw you with Balthazar. Let me guess, he's always kissed you like that, it's just how he is." He said sarcastically, waiting for some kind of explanation.

Castiel tilted his head to the side in confusion, "The kiss on the cheek?" he asked. "Yes I was with Balthazar for a few moments and he kissed my cheek before he went. That has happened when we were over by the other table...Dean why are you so upset?" he asked. "Why are you so angry?"

"A kiss on the cheek, really? It sure as hell didn't look like that from where I was standing." Dean replied, though with less vigor. Had it been a kiss on the cheek? It did seem unlikely that Cas would allow that to happen, but then again he had always been clueless about flirting. "Was it just a kiss in the cheek, really?" He asked, doubt now clouding his anger.

"Yes it was just a kiss on the cheek Dean..." Castiel was still so confused on what Dean was so riled up about, "If you would like me to, I'll tell him not to kiss me on the cheek anymore." he offered. "What did you think that you saw from your angle?" he asked.

Dean was still frowning, believing Cas but still feeling the weight of jealousy. "It looked like a kiss. A real kiss." He replied, anger fading. "I just don't like that guy. I don't like how he looks at you." He said, scanning around as if to find Balthazar waiting in the wings before looking back at Cas. "Sorry, I guess I over reacted a little."

"I wouldn't kiss Balthazar Dean. I am not attracted to him. We grew up together but I haven't found an attraction to him. Plus...My kisses are for you Dean and you alone." Castiel smiled. "I thought I made you angry and I couldn't understand why." he said. "Balthazar is a bit odd, but we won't see him much after today so you don't need to worry." he told him. He smiled up at Dean, "It's okay. I understand now." he said. "Would you like me to get new drinks?" I can get them for you if you would like." he offered.

Dean relaxed, letting himself smile again. "You're right, I overreacted. I'm not mad at you, but I'll be glad to get away from him." He replied, trying to brush it off. "That's okay, I don't think I need a new drink, unless you want one." He added, though now he was admittedly more reluctant to let Cas go off alone.

Castiel shook his head, "No it's fine. I do not mind lukewarm drinks. Plus I wasted enough time away from you." He smiled before handing Dean his drinks. "I didn't mean to leave you alone for so long, I'm sorry about that. Also for the misunderstanding." He said.

"It's okay, I get it now." Dean replied, taking his drinks and brushing his fingers across Cas's. The thought that it might be the most contact they had that night drove him crazy, especially since he had already seen Balthazar kiss his cheek twice. It definitely wasn't fair that anyone got so much more of an opportunity than him.

Castiel blushed a bit, he hadn't touch Dean the whole time they were here. It was restraining to not to touch more, knowing that if they were to touch even a little more they would have a hard time stopping. Castiel smiled a little, "Did you at least like some of the food I gave you?" He asked. "I didn't try any of the food so I'll live vicariously through you."

The brief contact got Dean's mind trying to come up some other excuse to touch Cas, or some opportunity. He nodded, pulling his focus from touching Cas back to their conversation, as difficult as it was. "Yeah, it was pretty good. Do you want something to eat?" He asked, not wanting Cas to be hungry.

"No. I'm fine. I don't think I'll eat something, I don't want to get nervous. Plus I had a very good breakfast." Castiel laughed lightly. "I think I will be fine." He said.

They chatted a bit, laughing a little and smiling. They only had brief contact here and there and both of them were very aware of them touching each other. Eventually Castiel got pulled away and he reluctantly left Dean.

As soon as he stepped away from Dean, his facial expression changed from the relaxed one to a more perfected one. He smiled politely at people when he needed to, his smile never once reaching his eyes. He shook hands with people and talked to others in foreign languages and nodded, listening to their business plans and told them what would help them. He stood out for being so young in a group of adults but he didn't slack behind anyone.

He tried to put a quick talk so he could get back to Dean and on his way hurry back. Zachariah found him in the crowd. "Castiel! My favorite nephew!" a man said loudly, invading the in the conversation he was with. "I'd like to introduce you to these lovely ladies. Single if you know what i mean." he had his arm wrapped around Castiel's shoulder.

Castiel gently shrugged it off, "No thank you. I am not looking for someone." he said.

"Yes, yes I heard. Might have a someone?" Zachariah commented, "Yeah, no. These are better and they're better for publicities. Plus, they're actually good looking." he said.

Castiel tried not to scowl, "I'm sure they're very beautiful women but I'm just here on request and I'd like to leave as soon as possible, now if you'll excuse me. I have other people to attend to." he lied.

Castiel quickly escaped to get back to Dean before he bumped into someone else. "Oh, pardon me." He said.

"Castiel?" A familiar voice spoke out.

Castiel glanced up, "Samandriel?" He asked.

"Yeah. It's been a really long time huh?" Samandriel commented.

"Yes it has. It's been a few years." Castiel nodded. "Are you enjoying the party?" He asked.

"Oh. I'm not really one for things like these." Samandriel laughed. He sighed a little right after, "It really had been some time... I hope you aren't mad at me." He said.

"Mad?" Castiel said confused.

"Yes, that I couldn't be friends with you, stand up, I was a coward." Samandriel shook his head.

"It is fine. It's all of the past. I forgive you. It was never your fault to begin with." Castiel smiled.

"Life was cruel to you Castiel, how do you stay so kind?" Samandriel asked.

"I have things that ground me." Castiel replied, thinking of Dean.

Samandriel nodded slightly, hearing the music starting to play and everyone moved around to dance now. Samandriel looked at Castiel, "Care to dance?" He asked.

"I fear I must get back to my guest." Castiel replied.

"Please, I want to make amends. I really am sorry." Samandriel said sadly.

Castiel glanced to where Dean was, "Just for a few minutes, but then I must really go." He agreed.

Samandriel bowed, taking Castiel's hand and leading him to the dance floor and placing his hand on his waist. Castiel stood apart from him and put his hand on his shoulder and they talked a bit as they danced easily across the floor. Samandriel spun Castiel a few times and dipped him and made a few comments that Castiel blushed and stood back up and stood his distance.

Dean stayed off to the side after Cas had to leave him, trying to be as unnoticeable as possible. He understood that Cas had to do some things so he didn't mind, and occasionally caught glimpses of Cas through the crowd. Even from a distance Dean could tell he wasn't enjoying himself based on his smile. He lost sight of Cas for a little while, and decided to get a little more food just to have something to keep himself busy with.

As he was snacking, he glanced around and did a double take as he recognized Cas on the dance floor- with someone. He set his food down, appetite gone, as he watched the stranger dip Cas. His fake smile was gone, replaced by a light blush. Someone was dancing with Cas. Touching him. Making him blush. Jealousy swirled angrily inside of Dean, mixed with envy at their contact.

Samandriel laughed a little at seeing Castiel blushed, "Can't believe you blushed at that comment. Who's your guest anyways? I haven't seen this person yet." he asked.

"He's waiting for me and I really must return to him. I don't want him to wait." Castiel replied, gently sliding his hand away.

"I'm sure that your guest must be really happy." Samandriel smiled, bowing a little.

Castiel laughed lightly, bowing in return. "I hope I can make him happy." he said before Samandriel left back into the group of people and Balthazar caught him again, "May I have this dance?" he asked, already catching Castiel and gently swirling him around.

"Well you seem to not want my response to that if you have already started." Castiel commented.

Balthazar laughed a bit, pulling Castiel a lot closer than Samandriel did. The song was a faster beat and a different dance and more intimate with those dancing. Balthazar pulled Castiel close, "No I wasn't waiting for your response." he laughed. "Sad that every time I bump into you, you are without your date. What kind of date would leave such a cute person like yourself all alone?" he teased.

Castiel huffed, "I had to leave /him/, I had things to attend to and I plan to go back before you caught me." he told him.

"Well one dance couldn't hurt. Plus...if he was such a great date, he would be able to keep your attention anyways." Balthazar told him. He spun Castiel and caught his other hand and leaned over his ear, "I'm pretty sure, somewhere in this crowd. Green little eyes are watching." he teased.

Castiel blushed, turning out of his arms, "Stop teasing me Balthazar. I must go back, now. And Please do not kiss me on the cheek." he said.

Balthazar pouted a bit and pulled Castiel back in, "Just finish the song. Then I'll let you go." he smiled. Castiel pinched his eyebrows together, annoyed now. "Aww, c'mon don't ruin such a pretty face with such a scowl." Balthazar laughed, tailing his hands onto Castiel thigh and hitching it up to the song and twirling him around and dipping him.

Castiel touched his shoulder and scowled even more before standing up. "Do not touch me so intimately Balthazar. We may have known each other for long but that doesn't mean much." he said lowly.

"Ooh, feisty." Balthazar said happily, pulling Castiel back up and doing a more difficult moves that Castiel kept up with him. Balthazar pulled him flush against him and brushed back his hair and Castiel was shocked at how close they were and tried to push him away.

"Balthazar, let go of me." He pushed.

Dean watched Cas dance with the first stranger, foot tapping slightly in impatience. He felt a relief when the song ended, desperate to get close to Cas again, only to spot him with Balthazar. Again. His jaw clenched at how closely they were dancing, his hands forming fists at his sides. He saw Balthazar hitch his hand along Cas's thigh, and suddenly nothing else mattered. He didn't care about any of the other people, the dancing, trying to make a good impression. His vision narrowed to Balthazar, standing so close and intimate with Cas. Dean strode across the floor determinedly, dodging the other people, until he stopped beside them. "He told you to let him go." He said flatly, eyes fixed on Balthazar.

Balthazar let go of Castiel, raising his hands up in defense. "And the knight swoops in and saves the day." He smiled. "Perfect timing knight, few more minutes and I would have kidnapped the princess." He teased.

Castiel pinched his eyebrows together, "Do you not have somewhere to be?" He said plainly.

"Probably, but what is a night without a little adventure?" Balthazar smiled before turning a little before turning again and catching Castiel's hand and pulling him in and accidentally kissing him instead of the cheek but he didn't really mind so much. Castiel had soft lips. He pulled back before either could react and waved before going back to the sea of people. "Bye Castiel, Dean."

Castiel touched his lips, stunned that he was kissed. He didn't even tell Balthazar Dean's name, he knew this whole time. He was still shocked about what just happened and in front of Dean too. He turned to Dean in panic, "I didn't kiss him. I swear. I told him not to kiss me. Please don't be mad." He said desperately, saying it all in one breath.

Dean gaped, completely taken aback by Balthazar's audacity. His jaw clenched again and he whipped around to face Cas, now definitely knowing that he couldn't go the rest of the night like this. "Come with me." He said curtly, the realization that he couldn't take Cas's hand adding to the jealous fire in his veins. He started walking quickly to the restrooms that he had spotted earlier, keeping Cas in the corner of his eye to ensure that no one else stole him away.

Castiel followed Dean timidly, sticking close to Dean. He didn't want to make him any madder than he was. He was nervous now, what was Dean going to say to him? What was going to happen? He looked down as they walked, following him to wherever Dean wanted him to go. He twisted his fingers and came to a stop when Dean did. "I'm sorry. I tried to get back to you. I did. I'm sorry that I was interrupted and that Balthazar intruded. I didn't kiss him. I told him not to." He tried to explain.

"I know, I know you did." Dean replied simply, too focused on inconspicuously ushering Cas into the bathroom to properly quell his worries. He glanced quickly around, feeling a brief moment of relief that they were alone, before suddenly grabbing Cas's hand and pulling him into a stall. As soon as he'd locked the door behind them, Dean wrapped his hand around Cas's neck and pulled him into a heated kiss.

Castiel gasped at the sudden kiss before he melted into Dean and kissed him back passionately. He craved Dean's touch more than anyone's else's. He broke the kiss briefly, "You're not mad?" He asked. He wanted to get back to kissing but he needed to know.

Dean pulled Cas close, eyes roaming across his face before meeting his eyes. "Of course I'm mad, but not at you. I'm mad at the other people- for stealing you away, being so close, /kissing/ you." He practically growled the last one. "Your kisses are for me, and he stole one. Of course I'm mad." He repeated, tightening his arm around him.

Castiel swallowed, "I'm sorry." he said softly. He wrapped his arms around Dean, "I'll be more aware next time so it doesn't happen." He told him. He looked up at Dean. "I missed touching you so much. I want to dance with you. I want to hold your hand. I want to be able to kiss." He said sadly. He pulled Dean closer, "I'm sorry for someone stealing a kiss and making you angry."

"It's okay, they don't get to do this with you." Dean replied, pausing to kiss him roughly before breaking off again. "They don't have marks across your skin." He continued, lips ghosting across Cas's as he spoke before kissing him again. "They don't get you." He finished, pressing fully against Cas possessively as he pulled him into another kiss.

Castiel gasped, moaning into Dean's mouth as he pulled Dean as close as he can, deepening the kiss. He played with the ends of Dean's hair but careful not to mess it up. He was so much happier in the bathroom with Dean than a ballroom of extravagance. He loved Dean's kisses and wanted him to make his write over the one Balthazar gave him.

Dean kissed him roughly, the image of Balthazar's lips against Cas's seared into his mind. Despite having Cas in his arms, he still felt the jealousy in his stomach. He wanted to erase everything anyone else had done. Cas was /his/ and he was Cas's, and no one was allowed to get between that.

Castiel swallowed, pushing against Dean but breaking the kiss knowing that if they touched anymore they wouldn't stop. "Dean...we have to go back... I don't know what's happening out there." He panted. "And someone can come in here..." He added quietly.

"So?" Dean murmured in response, moving to kiss his jaw. "I can tell you what's going on- people are dancing and being fake and Balthazar doesn't have any idea where you are." He replied, hating the idea of letting Cas go back to the cute little Cas back with those masked, greedy, higher class people.

Castiel tilted his head up a bit, not able to resist Dean's touching. He let out a soft breath, "But if we don't go back out then what do we do...hideout?" He asked. He felt like someone was going to walk in, knowing what they were doing and it was making him a bit nervous but he wanted to keep touching Dean anyway.

"Yeah, let's hide out here." Dean replied, kissing along his jaw again. "You've already been away from me for so long. I can't resist not touching you, especially with everyone else getting to." He said quietly, stroking his thumb along Cas's cheek.

Castiel let out a soft sound, "If you keep touching me...I won't want to stop. And we have to go back out later...someone can still get in here." He told him. "I don't want people to touch me so intimately either...I just want you to be able to." He said softly, leaning into Dean's touches.

"Do we still have to go back out? We can't just stay here? Damn." Dean replied, kissing his cheek. "This is definitely my favorite place in this whole building right now." He added with a grin.

Castiel smiled, "Such a beautiful place and you say your favorite is in a bathroom stall with me. Which reminds me, why must we stay in the stall together again? We can step out now, can we not?" He asked. He was a lot more relaxed around Dean having him so close and joking with him. It was much different than talking out there with polite smiles and greetings.

"What, you mean you don't want to sit in a stall all night?" Dean joked, glad to see Cas's genuine smile again. "Alright, we can go out." He said, pausing for a moment before giving Cas another kiss. Then he unlocked the stall and stepped out, glancing around to double check that no one had entered even though they hadn't heard anyone.

Castiel laughed lightly and followed Dean out, "So daring. Pulling me into such a place." He teased. He glanced around before kissing the back of Dean's neck. "I didn't know I made you so jealous..." He said softly.

Dean's eyes shut for a brief moment at the contact, savoring the feeling, before smiling slightly. "Of course you make me jealous. Especially seeing those guys, who have known you longer than I have, practically throwing themselves at you." He shook his head slightly, just the thought of it making him want to grab Cas.

Castiel gently kissed the back of Dean's neck again, wrapping his arms around him. He looked up when Dean said that, "What do you mean?" He asked. "Throwing themselves at me?" He asked in confusion.

Dean arched a brow, turning slightly in Cas's arms to look over his shoulder. "You really don't see it?" He asked, wondering if that made it better or worse. "You had to have known they were flirting. That stunt Balthazar played on the dance floor? Not something friends do."

"No?" Castiel tilted his head. "But he was always like that, are you sure it's not his personality?" He asked. "Samandriel was apologizing to me for the years before. That was the reason we danced." He said. "I should've not danced with him but he said he was sorry." He explained.

"Well, you've known them longer than I have, but it didn't look like they were just being friendly to me." Dean replied with a slight shake of his head. "Either way, now I don't want to leave you alone again."

"Are you scared I'm going to be snatched away?" Castiel asked, looking up at him with a small smile. "I still have feelings for you Dean, it's not as if someone were to come along that I would have feelings for them. I'll be more aware for when I do see them again tonight, if I do." he told him. "Maybe you can stay close to me tonight, but maybe just a little ways apart so you won't get caught into talking to some of these masked smiles out there." he said. "The high end life is just the same as any other, just with more lies and loneliness." he explained.

"That sounds exhausting- having to fake a smile and be polite all the time. I don't think I could do that." Dean replied, tucking a stray lock of Cas's hair back into place. "Not without you, anyway." He added, still wanting to stick close to Cas.

Castiel blushed lightly, having Dean pushing back a stray hair. He glanced up shyly at him and smiled softly. "It's tiring, yes, but I have years of practice. It's much easier once you know the way around it." he said. "I prefer to have the relaxed atmosphere I have with you. It's a lot less tiring and an infinite times more pleasing than anyone out there I can speak to." he told him. "I could have the most engrossing conversation with someone but I would prefer to be somewhere with you asking what we should make for dinner than that." he said.

Dean smiled, feeling a happy relief settle in him. When Cas said things like that, he knew he didn't need to be jealous. He would still get jealous, of course, but at least he knew Cas would be there to reassure him. "I like being with you instead of all of them making you unhappy. Even after years of practice, I can still tell that your smile out there doesn't reach your eyes." He replied softly.

"You've been watching me most of the night?" Castiel asked, looking up at him. He felt his heart flutter to know that Dean would know that the smile he casually shows everyone isn't real that the one he does in front of Dean is. It made him feel special that Dean did notice such things about him. He traced his fingers over Dean's face, "It's because I'm only genuinely happy when I'm with you." he replied with a smile. "I didn't know that you paid so much attention to me, even when I was gone." he said softly. "Whenever I had a chance I would glance over in your general direction to spot you out before I would continue talking, just knowing you were there." he told him. "I guess we're one of the same in that." he laughed lightly.

Dean smiled and leaned against the caress. "I guess we both like knowing where the other is, for support." He replied, a wash of happy relief settling over him as he realized that even with everything else that was going on, and all the people who were trying to catch Cas's attention, he still sought Dean out for reassurance.

Castiel smiled, seeing Dean happy again. He didn't want to see him upset. "We should head out, we've been in here for quite some time." He laughed lightly. "Just for a while more, then we can sneak away together." He said. "Just a little while and we can go home." He repeated.

Dean sighed dramatically before he smiled. "Okay. I think I can manage for a little while longer, but you might have to make it up to me when we get home." He said with a grin, feeling more ready to go back out now.

"How do you want me to make it up?" Castiel asked, tilting his head slightly. "Did you want something in particular? I don't want you to be mad later." He said.

"Hmm, I'm sure I'll think of something." Dean replied innocently and smiling. He moved to kiss Cas quickly, one last time, before letting out a breath. "Okay, let's get this over with then." He said.

Castiel smiled, nodding slightly before walking over to the bathroom door and pulling it open for them. He smoothed out his jacket and shirt, pushing back his hair again so he looked presentable. No one was around so they could walk back out.

On the way back, Castiel got tackled by a blonde girl. "You came! I thought you'd skip out like you always would. Come play with me!" She said excitedly.

Castiel was shocked at first, catching the girl and looking down at her. "Lilith? My, you've grown." He said.

"I know!" Lilith said happily. "Though I don't like it since my cute clothes won't fit me anymore." She caught Castiel's hand and pulled him along, ignoring whoever he was with. "Spend the night with me. We can play all night." She said.

Castiel stopped in his step, "I cannot, I must return home later. And I have to return to the ballroom." He told her.

"No! You're mine! You're my favorite to play with! You can't go back! I want to play!" Lilith stomped.

Castiel leaned down slightly, "I'll play with you another time Lilith. Just not today." He said.

Lilith pouted, hugging Castiel around his neck. "Carry me back to there and I'll accept it." She said.

"Lilith...don't be a child." Castiel sighed.

"I am a child! I want you to play with me..." she started crying and Castiel wiped her tears. "I'm sorry Lilith, I can't." He said softly.

"But I wore my pretty dress for you." Lilith said sadly.

"Yes, you look very pretty." Castiel complimented.

Lilith looked up at him and smiled, kissing him. "Wait for me okay? I'll be really pretty when I grow up." She said happily as she hugged Castiel again before skipping away. "I'll come find you again tonight, so save a dance for me." She told him.

Someone came in before Castiel had a chance to explain to Dean and grabbed his hand, "Where were you? We have a huge interview for you." They said before taking Castiel away. Castiel stumbled after and glanced back to Dean before following.

Lilith came back after Castiel left and walked up to Dean, "He's mine. Way before you. Don't think I'm going to share because I'm a nice girl." She told him. "I hate sharing."

Dean frowned as Cas got pulled away, glancing down at Lilith with an arched brow. "Yeah, there seem to be a lot of people who knew him way before me and don't want to share." He said, more to himself than her. "Well, I guess I have some competition." He replied to her with a quick smile.

"Don't try to blow me off just because I seem to be younger." Lilith told him. "He's mine. And I can have ways to make it so." she said proudly. "I would say it's fair game but that's not actually true." she hummed. "Why do you want him anyways?" she walked around him, surveying him before standing in front of him again. "You don't look like anything special or smart. You might have a pretty face but that doesn't get you far." she scoffed. "Stay away from my toy, got it? He's mine." she told him.

"Your toy?" Dean repeated, jaw clenching slightly. "What do you mean you have ways to make it happen?" He asked, hating how sure of herself she seemed. Then again, she did have a point- what exactly did he have to offer anyway? He brushed the thought off, pushing the doubt to the back of his mind as much as he was able.

"That's for me to know and you to question." Lilith smiled. "Yeah, we're competitors. May the best person win." She said before she skipped away.

Balthazar let out a low whistle, leaning against a wall a distant away from the declaration of war between the two, "Seems like you have your hands full don't you?" He said. "How much fun it is to be you to have someone so clueless?" He glanced over at Dean. "He hasn't changed has he? Still that cute little clueless kid he was when he was young." He hummed.

Dean suppressed a sigh, thinking that he was apparently the only one who didn't know what Cas was like as a kid firsthand. "It's nothing I can't handle." He replied testily, determined to not let Balthazar rile him up- although it didn't seem to be working.

"Are you sure? I mean, you've met like what...4 of his siblings? Not even his parents. Are you sure you can handle him?" Balthazar asked. "No offense here. Just wondering. Not saying I could do better, though I have known him for longer, but just fair warning." He told him. "Don't listen to what Lilith said, you're more than just a pretty face." He said. "Sorry for riling you up earlier. Kind of. The night is barely beginning. How long can you hold out?" Balthazar whistled. "Have fun watching." He said as he waved, sauntering away.

Dean huffed and ran a hand through his hair as he watched Balthazar's retreating figure. He knew he'd be out of his element here, but he didn't think it would be like this. He sighed, squaring his shoulders before following him back out into the chaos.

Castiel's eyes glanced back and forth as he smiled politely at people before catching glimpse of Dean and he started walking his way over before he got caught by a group of slightly drunk females.

"Hello Castiel." They all greeted with giggles.

"Evening ladies." Castiel replied.

One of them giggled before hooking herself into him and pressed her chest to his arm. Castiel blushed at such a bold thing. He could smell her perfume, sticking to him. The other girls huffed and one linked arms with the other and the other girl was chattering to him. Castiel nodded politely, taking to her shortly, trying to seem like he was busy but they didn't realize it. One of the girls grabbed a glass of wine and was sipping it before she hit a bright idea and drank some before kissing Castiel and pushing it into his mouth. Castiel's eyes widened and coughed, wiping his mouth when he pulled away. He quickly excused himself before looking for Dean again. He found him again before he got pulled into another conversation about business, he translated for someone before he got pushed into taking pictures with some people and he had to pose with a certain female who kissed him on the cheek and messed up his hair because he looked better that way. He put on a strained smile before pulling away. A few drunk guys touched him inappropriately as he went through and he had to bite his tongue to not say anything. He desperately wanted to go find Dean, looking around again.

Dean spotted Cas and smiled in relief, starting to make his way towards him before he saw Cas swarmed by a group of girls. He scowled as they hung over him and dared to kiss him, and he started to make his way angrily over before Cas was swept away again. Every time he caught a glimpse of Cas through the crowd, someone was draping themselves on him, kissing him, touching him. He ground his teeth together, frustrated and angry at the entire situation, that anyone thought they had the right to do any of those things. He finally spotted Cas alone, and quickly made his way towards him.

Castiel glanced up and saw Dean before Lilith made her way there first and dragged him by the hand to the dance floor and looked up at him. "Dance with me Castiel." She said nicely.

"Can this wait Lilith? Just a few moments?" He agreed, looking around to find Dean again.

"The quicker you finish the dance the faster you can go." Lilith told him. "And please don't make it trash just because. I'll know." She added.

Castiel sighed before offering his hand and putting his hand on her waist. Lilith closed the distance between them and moved his hand slightly lower. "Lilith..." Castiel stated.

"Just let me have this one dance." Lilith smiled. "Please." She added.

Castiel sighed before gently moving her around the floor and turning her. She put her head on his chest and pulled him closer. Castiel glanced around for Dean, just wanting this to be over. The dance came to an end and he immediately pulled away but Lilith didn't let him, she pulled him in and bit his neck before letting him go. She actually just really loved playing games and watching people react. This would definitely get a reaction from Dean.

Castiel touched his neck, feeling a mark and lipstick on him. He felt disgusted and looked around quickly for Dean, moving around everyone.

Dean caught a glimpse of Cas dancing with Lilith and his scowl deepened. He watched them dance, seeing them through the crowd with flashes of envy at every move. He caught a glimpse of Lilith leaning over his neck, but she had disappeared when Dean saw Cas again, weaving through the crowd. He snagged Cas's arm, feeling a relief at having him close again, before he saw the lipstick on his neck, over a mark, and smelt the perfume that clung to his skin. Dean froze, anger, frustration, and unadulterated jealousy coursing like fire through his veins.

Castiel looked over to whoever grabbed his arm, nervous and scared that it was going to be something else to invade him and stop him from finding Dean. He left out a small breath of relief when he found Dean but he saw him looking more upset than he did earlier, he followed his gaze to his neck and slapped a hand over it. He didn't know what to say. He tried wiping it but it smeared and he was panicking because he didn't want Dean to be upset.

"Lilith." Dean said flatly, remembering her threat and realizing that must have been what she was doing when she had leaned over him. He looked away, out of the crowd so that he wouldn't have to see it tainting Cas's skin. "When are we leaving?" He asked, scanning the people all around and wondering just who else thought they could do something like that.

Castiel looked down, continuing to wipe at the lipstick and picked up a napkin from the walking waiters and wiped it away. He got most of it out but the mark was still there. "...Soon. Hopefully...I want to go home." He said quietly. He fixed his shirt and buttoned it all the way up and fixed his tie. He brushed back his hair and smoothed out his jacket. He twisted his fingers a bit, glancing up at Dean. "I'm sorry..." He said softly.

Dean opened his mouth to reply, reaching out with one hand to catch Cas's fingers, before he caught himself and instead put his hands in his pockets dejectedly. It was bad enough that everyone else was all over him, but apparently Dean was the only one not allowed to touch Cas for his reputation's sake. "S' not your fault." He replied with a sigh, trying not to take it out on Cas when all he wanted to do was grab him and remove all lingering traces of everyone else. He itched to run his hands through Cas's hair and trace his skin, to erase the lingering smells of strange perfume and cologne, to cover Lilith's mark and prove that Cas was /his/, not hers or anyone else's.

Castiel let out a breath, wanting to go home already. He looked up at Dean before reaching out and taking his hand, not wanting them to not touch anymore. He had enough of others touching him. He pulled Dean along until he found Gabriel, "Cover for me. I'm done for the night. If Michael asks, tell him that I'll be ready to hear his lectures but I'm leaving." He said before pulling Dean away with him.

Gabriel nodded, saluting them. Castiel pulled Dean along quickly until they were back into the bathroom and he didn't even check the stalls before pulling Dean into a needy kiss and an apologetic one. "I smell horrible..." He breathed out before kissing Dean again and again. He wanted to feel better again, wrapping his arms around Dean's shoulders and pulling him into a deep kiss.

Dean immediately met the kiss with a passion, pressing against Cas as he wrapped his arms tightly around him. He made a noise of agreement at Cas's remark before pushing him back against the wall, he kept himself flush against Cas. His frustration and jealousy seeped into the kiss, making it rough and demanding.

Castiel gasped, moaning loudly into the kiss. He buried his hand into Dean's hair and pulling at the ends. He was more than happy to keep the close contact. They were just in the open in the bathroom, not caring about anyone else as they kissed each other deeply, taking in all the touching they were deprived from all night.

Dean slipped his hand inside of Cas's jacket to rest on his hip, tangling the other in his hair. He broke off from their kiss to move to Cas's neck, mercilessly biting and sucking on the mark that wasn't his. He couldn't care less where they were, only that he didn't want to let go of Cas for the rest of the night.

Castiel grabbed the back of Dean's jacket, feeling hot spikes of pleasure as well as a bit of pain. He moaned, putting his head into Dean's shoulder. It smelt like Dean and he wanted to smell like that. His own mouth tasted like wine from that drunk girl from earlier and smelt like her. He pulled Dean as close as he could, wanting him to be as close as possible. He heard a few voices outside the bathroom and he panicked a bit before he quickly turned and pulled Dean into a stall with him and locked it. He was panting from all the rough treatment, wanting to mark over everything that wasn't Dean's.

Dean followed Cas closely into the stall, immediately pulling him close once the door was latched. He looked at the red mark on Cas's neck and made a noise of satisfaction, glad to have covered it. He could smell the perfume and taste the wine on his breath however, and they served as reminders of what they had tried to do with Cas. He pushed him against the wall of the stall, clutching at his hair as Dean caught his lips in his own again.

Castiel made a small noise, clutching onto Dean again and sliding his hands into his hair. He gripped onto Dean kissing him back deeply, wanting to taste him and be intoxicated with his kissing. He swallowed and pressed his hips to Dean.

Dean felt Cas move his hips forward and returned with equal pressure. He ground against Cas and tugged at his lower lip with his teeth, sucking it as well. The normal rush of heat he felt when he kissed Cas like this was intensified by his still-roiling emotions, determined to prove to himself that Cas really was his as much as he was Cas's. His hands moved around to untuck Cas's shirt, fingers trailing across his skin hungrily.

Castiel whimpered a little against the kiss, it was such an intense passion. He rolled his hips back into Dean, feeling such a deep stir of arousal. He shivered against the wall behind him. He felt so needy but Dean was willing to give that to him, he wanted Dean. It was quiet in the bathroom, except the light panting and the sounds of their mouths sliding against each other. Most of Castiel's moan were muffled by Dean but they still escaped a few times as he pulled Dean as close as he can.

Dean flattened himself against Cas as he ran his hands across the top of Cas's hips, moving them forward to quickly make their way up the front of his shirt, unbuttoning it as he went. His fingers traced over the marks he had made previously, proof of their earlier intimacy.

Castiel shivered, resting his head onto Dean's shoulder and panting. He was so aroused at everything Dean was doing to him. It was so intoxicating with them so close and it being so passionate and hurried. It was making his head spin. He clutched onto Dean's jacket, feeling hot and wanting it off. He kissed the side of Dean's neck, he wondered for just a moment if they should make a break for it out to the car. That maybe they could make it home but being apart for just a moment sounded bad at that moment, in the car with them /just/ holding hands. The trip itself sounded bad with all the passion around them at the moment, they would probably be really distracted before they even got home, if they could.

Dean felt Cas tugging at his jacket and shrugged it off, completely unbothered by their surroundings. He could hardly keep his hands off of Cas long enough to loosen his tie, let alone make the long drive home. "Seeing all of those people throwing themselves at you-" his lips brushed against Cas's before he broke off, kissing Cas again quickly to keep his anger calm. "They acted like you were their property or something. They don't know you, and they don't know this." He practically hissed the last part, kissing Cas again fiercely to prove his point. They could all say what they wanted, but they would never share the passion or emotion that he and Cas had.

Castiel couldn't get words in, before Dean was kissing him again. He just hung onto Dean and moaning into his mouth. He knew Dean was very jealous of all the people that happened to touch him tonight when he couldn't even do that. He didn't even want anyone touching him, he always thought of being able to hold Dean's hand, leading him around, dancing with him. He definitely did not want anyone else kissing him, let alone marking. He wanted everything Dean was giving to him, making him feel disgusting. He felt his skin crawl when other people touched him so intimately when he barely knew them or even if he did.

He rolled his hips into Dean's breaking the kiss just for a moment, "Yours..." he breathed out, kissing Dean again. "I'm yours..." he panted.

Dean's breath caught slightly, unprepared for the rush of arousal and possessiveness that crashed over him. He pulled at Cas's hair, kissing him again as he pulled at Cas's belt and the fly of his pants. "Mine." He repeated in a growl, breaking the kiss again to suck the skin at Cas's shoulder.

Castiel whimpered, his hands trying to grab onto anything he could. He moaned at the way Dean said mine, feeling a shot of pleasure run up his spine, he shivered. He ran a hand into Dean's hair and pulled at it. He panted when Dean broke the kiss and turned his head into Dean's hair when he moaned. He felt like he was so loud in the quiet bathroom and that someone will find them. He put a hand over his mouth to try to muffle it.

Dean pulled at his tie as he kissed Cas's skin, hearing Cas's moans echo softly across the empty bathroom and knowing that Cas wouldn't be able to keep quiet with what he wanted to do. He pulled up to kiss Cas's lips once more before looping his tie around Cas's mouth, knowing that he was going to soak through it but not caring in the least.

Castiel opened his eyes slightly to look back at Dean. His eyes were dark, he had a neck full of new marks. He had his shirt open as well as the fly of his pants while Dean was only missing his jacket and tie. Castiel was completely disheveled and they weren't doing much but kissing. His shirt was tucked and untucked, his hair was not close to being presentable anymore and the tie in his mouth brought out the blush on his cheeks. He was so aroused, keeping his hands on Dean. Either on his shoulder or in his hair. He just kept them close.

Dean ran his hand across Cas's bare chest, feeling his warmth and realizing how hot he felt. He pulled at the buttons of his shirt before giving up halfway to touch Cas again. He bent slightly to take Cas's nipple in his mouth, toying with the other with his fingers and wrapping his other hand around Cas's hip and slide it in the back hem of his pants.

Castiel squeezed his eyes shut, moaning loudly and whimpering through the gag. His hands clutched Dean's white shirt and bundled it under his hands, making small sound as his hands moved up and down, grabbing at anything. He shivered, feeling Dean's hand behind him, sliding into the hem of his pants.

Dean continued his treatment, biting at his nipple lightly and toying with him continuously. He moved his hand to undo his pants before returning to pull down at Cas's, tracing his hand along Cas's thigh before suddenly hitching it up against his hip.

Castiel whined against the gag, digging his fingers into Dean's shoulders. His chest felt so good with Dean playing with his nipples, he felt so strained so he whimpered when Dean finally removed his pants. He moaned when his leg was shifted up and he moved it around Dean to hold it up. He wrapped his arms around Dean and brought him closer. He already was dampening the tie for all his spit and moaning. He was so intoxicated with all of Dean that his mind was spinning. He couldn't think of anything but Dean.

Dean released Cas momentarily, kissing the underside of his jaw softly. He stopped teasing Cas to tug the tie out of his mouth, letting it hang around his neck. He kissed Cas's reddened lips before tracing his thumb across his lower lip. "Suck." He commanded softly, for once not having anticipated the possibility of this. Dean kept his hand holding Cas's knee, pressed up against him and grinding his hips against him.

Castiel whined, opening his mouth immediately and sucked on Dean's fingers. He rolled them on his tongue and made them wet. He was moaning around them as Dean moved his hips against him. He moved his own against his movement. He felt everything build, he felt so hot and desperate, feeling pleasure from everywhere. The passion from Dean was so overwhelming and he loved it. He hung onto Dean's shoulders, holding himself a bit straighter to help them stay more balance but in actuality it was just Dean and the bathroom stall wall holding him up.

A shot of pleasure coursed through Dean as Cas sucked on his fingers and rolled his hips. He pulled down Cas's underwear, his arousal mixed with the lingering feelings of jealousy making him desperate to move faster. He pulled his fingers out of Cas's mouth, licking across Cas's lips before hastily replacing the tie. Dean hitched Cas's leg up further and wrapped his arm around his hips, find the ring of muscle and slipping two wet fingers inside.

Castiel made a loud sound, he bit down in the gag. His knee buckled from underneath him, shaking. He tried to hold himself up but it was difficult to concentrate. His toes curled and his eyes squeezed shut. It kind of hurt but he was still a bit pliant from yesterday's activities. It was really tender and puffy. His eyes glossed over at the feeling.

Dean moved his fingers slowly at first, letting Cas adjust before scissoring his fingers. He continued to rock his hips against Cas, wanting some relief, as he held Cas upright. The muffled noises Cas made him satisfied that no one else would get to hear them, but he still wanted more

Castiel felt so sensitive, having Dean finger him it was enough to make him feel like he was going to orgasm. He made a few sounds, moaning loudly and burying his head into Dean's shoulder as his knees started to give in. He was drooling from the tie, only able to hold himself up by his arms. His cock twitched, leaking precum and it dribbled down his shaft. He teared up a bit, his heart beat beating fast as he was breathing erratically.

Dean kept himself pressed against Cas to support him, his hand still holding Cas's hip to keep him upright. He could feel Cas's labored breathing and knew Cas was starting to lose it. "Already getting close, but I'm just getting started." He murmured thickly, pressing a third finger into him.

"Mmm!" Castiel moaned loudly, he buried his head now into Dean and hugged him closely. He felt Dean move his fingers in him, searching and moving along. He rolled his hips slightly and when he did, he'd brush up against Dean and the fingers.

Dean squeezed Castiel close, lifting his leg up a little higher as he thrusted his fingers into him. He slowly started to pick up the pace and the small sounds of his fingers thrusting into Cas was echoing.

Castiel whimpered, feeling so good but wanted more but let Dean take things as he wanted for making him so jealous. He shifted a little after his knees buckled and Dean's pressed on his prostate. He jerked in Dean's arms, arching into him.

Dean licked Castiel's neck, peppering his new mark with kisses as his fingers rubbed against the bundle of nerves repeatedly, thrusting his fingers in and making sure he teased that spot every time. He shifted Castiel back against the wall and lifted his leg slightly before thrusting his fingers into him hard and fast.

Castiel nearly screamed in the quiet bathroom. His eyes went out of focus just a little as he threw his head back. He came onto his stomach and Dean's shirt. He was panting roughly, his legs were shaking. His hands were still grabbing into Dean just doing everything he could to hold on. He completely forgot about anything else, their surroundings, his thoughts. The only thing left was Dean, his touches, and his scent.

Dean groaned in pleasure at the look of ecstasy that passed across Cas's face as he came sending shocks of arousal through him. He held onto Cas tightly so that he wouldn't fall, feeling a deep satisfaction that he had produced a such a reaction in Cas- and no one else had or ever would, as far as he was concerned. He slowly pulled his fingers out, kissing Cas's neck as he did.

Castiel whimpered, dropping his head onto Dean's shoulder and panting. His body twitched in the aftershocks and he was dazed. He shivered, holding onto Dean a bit more loosely now. Making soft sounds at the small bursts of pleasure after and whining at the lost of his fingers.

Dean held Cas up, supporting him against the wall. He ran a hand through Cas's dampened hair, still breathing roughly. "Think you can go another round?" He asked, not caring about his shirt or anything else, just wanting Cas desperately.

Castiel was completely dazed, head lolling a little as Dean touched his hair. He slowly opened his eyes to look at Dean, he was panting through the gag. He swallowed, nodding a little. He wasn't able to concentrate on holding himself up fully at that point, he just hung onto Dean with his shaky legs.

Dean felt a light shiver run up his spine. Cas was completely wrecked, but he was up for another go. "You're so good. You're amazing, and you're mine." He murmured, his voice touched with awe as his lips skimmed across Cas's shoulder. He gave Cas a brief moment to recollect himself, though Dean still moved his hips underneath him.

Castiel mewled against Dean, feeling the spikes of pleasure of Dean moving against him. He was really sensitive and having Dean still touch him after was making him whimper. His eyes glossed over again, he wanted to be good for Dean. Make him feel good, loved. He wanted to give back to Dean, show that he was his and that he was sorry for other people touching so freely.

Dean kissed Cas's neck softly before he spit in his hand for a little more lube and stroked himself a few times, letting out a hiss at the slight relief from his strained cock. He held Cas tightly up against the wall of the stall as he slowly eased himself inside of Cas, still pliant from earlier.

Castiel started babbling through the gag, whimpering and whining. His head was against the wall, trying to find something to hold onto. He grabbed Dean's shoulders as he shuddered. He was drooling over his chin, the tie was less of a gag than most of the things they tried. His eyes teared up from the straight shocks of pleasure for the sensitivity. It hurt a little at how much and pure they were. He was still pliant but he felt everything. He was aware of everything and he was so shaky.

Dean started off slowly, moaning softly at how deep and close it felt. Cas's barely muffled noises spurred him on, and they added to the pleasure he was already receiving. He began to move his hips more quickly, biting his lip to prevent another moan, and held Cas tightly against himself and the wall. He already felt the tension start building, his arousal have peaked as he'd watched Cas's orgasm.

Castiel's tears spilled over, it was a lot of pleasure and he didn't know what to do. His cock had started to perk with renewed interest. He was moaning nonstop. He was a mess. His hair was all over the place, his neck was marked with so many new bites, he was crying and drooling, he had cum splattered over his stomach. Dean was holding him up basically by himself since his legs gave in.

Dean ground against him, kissing Cas's cheek before moving down to suck at his shoulder. He took Cas in his hand, stroking him lightly in time with his thrusts. All of the images that had been stuck in Dean's head, of all of the people hanging all over Cas, were replaced by Cas's expression, the pleasure clear on his face.

Everything that Dean was doing was overwhelming. Castiel was seeing white dots for all the pleasure. He was gone, his mind was running alone on pleasure and Dean. He was relying everything on Dean, shivering in his arms as he moaned incoherently and drooled over himself. He had a loose grip on Dean's shirt, feeling that feeling in his stomach build and build again. He shed a few more tears from the sensation, not able to handle anymore.

Dean moaned into Cas's shoulder, muffling the noise in his skin. He picked up the pace and move his hand along with his thrusts, squeezing his eyes shut as his breathing became more and more ragged. "Mine, you're mine." He came with a muffled cry, pressing his mouth into Cas's shoulder to keep himself quiet.

Castiel came with a sob, the orgasm was pushed out of him and his vision went out for a few moments. He felt Dean's cum settle in him and he felt so hot from the inside. He was breathing erratically against the gag, his knees not in any condition to hold him up. He came over Dean's hand and his own stomach again, he whimpered as he hiccuped from the crying. He dropped onto Dean, making soft sounds.

Dean clutched on to Cas tightly, completely holding him up as he leaned against the wall to help him support Cas. His erratic breathing slowly starting to steady. He opened his eyes to look down at Cas as he panted, thinking that he should take the tie out of his mouth before realizing that he didn't have a free hand to do so. He moved instead to softly kiss his damp hair, feeling a rush of satisfaction that he could no longer smell any trace of perfume or foreign cologne.

Castiel hiccuped, resting his head into Dean's shoulder. He was falling in and out of consciousness. He was still breathing quickly. He just trusted Dean for everything, he put his full weight into him and just let go. He was so tired.

Dean clutched Cas tightly, glancing back to sit on the toilet with Cas in his lap. He stroked his clean hand along Cas's back while he reached across and grabbed some paper, wiping off his hand. He carefully leaned Cas back so that he could clean him off as well, knowing through his blissful tiredness that eventually they would have to go back out. "You're so amazing. I love you." He murmured softly, knowing that Cas probably wouldn't register what he had said but wanting to say it regardless.

Castiel's head lolled a bit, he was barely with Dean to know what he was doing. He had dry tears on his face, streaks of spit. He just fell asleep in between each action, trying to stay up but he dropped his head back onto Dean's shoulder and laid there.

Dean reached up with his now cleaner hands, carefully untying the tie and pulling it gently out of Cas's mouth. It was completely soaked through, but he honestly didn't care; it had definitely been worth it. He realized, now as he calmed down, that exhausting Cas might not have been the best idea here, but he still didn't regret it. He felt completely satisfied, no longer as insecure as he had felt earlier and not jealous of anyone else. After all, none of them got to do what he did.

Castiel moved his mouth a little, swallowing. It was red around his lips from the tie. His lips were red from the kissing, he was blushing from the exhaustion and their activities. He was still sweating a bit. He was just a mess, he didn't even think about the cum in him at that moment. He didn't think of anything. He just laid against Dean, blankly as he slowly fell asleep.

Dean shifted Cas slightly in his arms and pulled out, letting out a soft breath. He knew he needed to get Cas as fixed up as possible, and hopefully they'd be able to make their escape back home without too many people even noticing them. For now though, he just held on to Cas and cleaned them both up as much as he was able to, letting Cas rest against him.

Castiel breathed softly against Dean. He was no help to Dean, he was pliant and sated. He just nuzzled into Dean and stayed still.

After cleaning them both up and cleaning Cas out, Dean hesitated, trying to figure what to do. He decided to lean Cas slightly so that he could start to button both of their shirts back up. He wasn't exactly sure how he was going to carry Cas out looking the way they did- even if he could get them both looking presentable, Cas's neck was covered in marks, their hair was a mess, and both of their lips were red. "Cas? Cas, do you think you're going to be able to walk out to the car? Or at all?" He asked, wondering if Cas would even wake up.

Castiel made an incoherent reply, mumbling into Dean before falling asleep again. He sighed softly, not staying awake long enough for him to actually say a reply yet.

Dean sighed softly, realizing Cas wasn't going to be much help for a while. He managed to snag Cas's jacket and pull up his pants, redressing him so that he was at least presentable, before shifting him so that he could do the same for himself. His tie was completely wrecked from being in Cas's mouth, but with his jacket buttoned hopefully it wouldn't be noticeable. He just put it in his pocket. He stood up with Cas in his arms, debating on letting Cas rest for a while or just carrying him out as quickly as possible.

Castiel stumbled a little, still a bit shaky on his legs. He blinked a bit, waking up slightly. "...Dean?" he said softly. His voice was wrecked a bit too. He sighed, leaning into Dean. "S'happenin'?" he slurred a bit.

Dean held onto Cas, helping to support him still. "We gotta go home somehow. I don't think you're in much of a state to walk, though. Do you know any back way out or something?" He asked.

"...uh..." Castiel tried thinking, "I um... I believe there is..." He replied. "Just kept goin' down the hall...there should be an exit..." He said. "M' sorry I can't walk right...or think..."

"No, it's okay. It's my fault anyway." Dean replied, scooping Cas up again. "Don't worry about it, I've got you." He said, shifting his grip tightly on him before unlocking the door. He glanced out, double checking that no one was there, before stepping out with Cas. He peeked out of the restroom door as well, trying to make his way unnoticed as he followed Cas's directions.

Castiel's head lolled a bit, falling onto Dean's shoulder. He woke up with a start sometimes to remember to give Dean directions but they were pretty simple. He fell asleep again before they got to the exit.

Gabriel was casually waiting by the exit, looking at Dean when he came closer then at Cas. "...You don't handle jealousy very well do you." he commented, being able to tell everything just from looking at them. "Right. Anyway. Since you two are leaving, just wanted you to pass some news to Cassie when he wakes up. Tell him that I covered for him and he owes me. He'd know." he said easily. "Later Dean. And next time, try to make sure my brother isn't so loud." he laughed before walking away.

Dean grinned sheepishly, though he still didn't regret it. At least no one had walked in on them, and as far as he was concerned that was a victory. He watched Gabriel leave before going out the exit, walking quickly to the impala. He shifted his grip on Cas so that he could open the door, laying Cas gently on the seat.

Castiel made a really sad sound once Dean let him go, he was cold now and wanted Dean as close as possible. He wasn't used to falling asleep without knowing beforehand what was happening. He would always know if Dean was there or if he was close so he could hug in his warmth. It was actually the first time since he has fallen asleep that he lost the sense of warmth and Dean, feeling like he was sleeping alone. It was cold outside and Castiel shivered, curling into himself as he sighed in his sleep.

Dean buckled Cas in before pausing, noticing him curl up into a ball, and slide off his jacket. He wrapped it around Cas and kissed the top of his head lightly before going around to the other side and getting in.

Castiel relaxed slightly, holding onto the jacket. It smelt like Dean and it was warm. He mumbled Dean's name softly before his head rested onto the side of the seat.

Dean glanced over at Cas and smiled softly, feeling not nearly as exhausted as he seemed. He turned the radio on quietly, humming softly along to the songs as he drove towards home. When they arrived, Dean went around to Cas's side and, keeping his jacket around him, lifted Cas out of the seat and walked into the house.

Castiel was fast asleep, he didn't wake up when Dean moved him. He was drained. His head was resting on Dean's shoulder as they came in. He was lulled into a deeper sleep with Dean's actual warmth and the sound of his heartbeat. It was soothing.

Dean set Cas down gently on the bed, quickly stripping out of his suit before moving to take Cas out of his as well. He pulled the blanket up over Cas while he laid out their clothes so they wouldn't get too wrinkled before he crawled in beside him, yawning widely.

Castiel sighed softly once Dean set him down on the bed. He curled up into himself in the cool sheets before he felt a warmth settle near him and he latched onto it. He let out a content sound, burying himself into Dean and going back to sleep.

Dean smiled and wrapped his arms around Cas, kissing his forehead one last time before closing his eyes. He was tired and completely content, and it didn't take long for him to fall into a deep sleep.


	22. Let's Make A New Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Christmas, there's only one other holiday before school starts again. New Year.

It was a quiet morning for them the day after. They didn't have to do anything as far as they knew. Castiel was so very tired from the last two days. He just stayed asleep, snuggling against Dean.

Dean was unsurprised to wake up first, knowing Cas would still be dead tired. He laid with him for a while, tracing across Cas's bare back with his fingertips and lightly stroking his hair.

Castiel was breathing softly against Dean. He was in a deep sleep, but he relaxed more when Dean started tracing against his back and touching his hair.

Dean smiled down at Cas, starting to hum softly as he petted his hair. He started thinking about last night, knowing it was probably a bit over dramatic that he'd gotten so jealous, but he couldn't blame himself. He had been expecting everyone to be hostile, not throwing themselves at Cas like that. Plus, that jealousy had turned into much more exciting activities than standing around all night. Dean smiled, continuing to stroke Cas until he woke up.

Castiel slowly blinked awake, yawning and making a soft sound before nuzzling back into Dean. "Mornin'..." He mumbled quietly. He was still very tired, feeling sore. He was enjoying Dean touching his back and hair though, it was a nice way to wake up besides waking up to someone who loved them.

"Morning." Dean replied with a smile. "Did you sleep okay? You were completely out last night, so I'm sure you did." He said with a soft chuckle.

"M' still tired..." Castiel murmured. "M' sorry for leavin' you alone..." he said. He cleared his throat a little before squeezing Dean closely. "M' sore..." he grumbled.

"It's okay, I don't mind. I figured you'd be sore, but you can rest as much as you want today. I'll get you painkillers with breakfast." Dean replied. "Oh, and Gabriel said he covered for you last night but apparently you owe him one." He added with a smile.

Castiel sighed, "I'll be sure to do that." He mumbled. "Massage my hips Dean." He grumbled softly into him. "Please." He added after. He was a little demanding from Dean this morning.

"Yes, sir." Dean replied jokingly with an arched brow, not minding Cas's bossiness. After the past few days, he could understand him feeling sore and possibly grouchy. He sat up, stretching before moving so that he could massage Cas's hips the way he had the previous morning.

Castiel made a pleased sound at Dean massaging his hips. He relaxed into the bed and sighed softly. He closed his eyes and started breathing quietly again. He was really marked up from Dean, he had marks littered everywhere across his body. He had bruises on his hips of fingers, bites and hickies all over his neck and shoulders. They were all deeply colored and would probably longer than a week to heal.

Dean looked across Cas's body at the marks, bruises, and discoloration as he massaged him. He wondered if he had been a little too intense last night when he had been so passionately fueled, but now, that jealousy had completely dissipated.

Castiel hissed softly when he felt Dean press down on a bruise. He buried his head into the pillows and slowly exhaled. He felt some on the tension in the small of his back relieve but he was still very sore. Mostly in between his legs, he felt really tender.

Dean eased up when he heard Cas's reaction, continuing on more gently across Cas's back and hips. "Anywhere else really sore that you want me to massage?" He asked as he kept kneading at his skin.

Castiel mumbled into the pillows before turning his head a little so Dean can hear him. "I am very sore in between my legs but I do not believe you can massage that or if you should. I don't think there's much to be done to relieve the pain." He said. "But your massage feels nice." He told him.

"Well, I'll massage you as much as you want." Dean replied as he continued. "A hot shower might help." He added after thinking about it. "And the painkillers will help. I can get them now, if you want."

"I don't want to stand Dean." Castiel sighed. "A shower does sound pleasant but the process of doing that sounds terrible." he told him. He turned his head more and rest them on his hands, "Are you tending to me today?" he asked. "Then yes, I would very much appreciate those painkillers please. Also breakfast with you sounds very desirable at the moment since I haven't eaten at all since your breakfast from yesterday." he said. "But you're welcome to stay and massage me some more, I wouldn't disagree with that." he smiled a little as he wiggled his hips slightly under Dean's hands.

"I guess I am tending to you then." Dean replied with a chuckle. "But I don't mind. Okay, I'll get breakfast and painkillers first. What about a bath instead of a shower? Whatever you want, I don't mind." He said, moving away from Cas. "I'll be right back." He decided as he stood, pulling on some clothes. "Anything you want for breakfast in particular?"

Castiel hummed softly in the bed, looking at Dean affectionately as he squeezed the pillow in his arms. "I would enjoy pancakes, but I do not want you to be away for long so I'll have your specialty eggs." he smiled. "Will you take a bath with me if I take one?" he asked. "I'll be lonesome without you." he told him.

"Well, I can't have you getting lonesome." Dean replied with a grin, leaning across to kiss Cas quickly before straightening and gently tucking the blanket around Cas. He left and returned a little while later with his 'specialty' eggs and some water, grabbing the bottle of painkillers as he came back in.

Castiel was lying in bed with his head in Dean's pillow. He was slowly breathing out when Dean came in, he stirred awake though. He glanced toward Dean after blinking a few times. "You're back..." he said softly. "I got lonely and tired. So I fell asleep so you'd come back faster." he smiled drowsily.

Dean chuckled, sitting down beside him on the bed. "You're pretty adorable." He said, brushing his hand through Cas's hair. "Now you have to stay awake long enough to eat, though, sleepyhead." He replied with a smile.

"M' awake..." Castiel murmured, enjoying Dean's hand in his hair. "Thank you." he said. "It looks very good." he told him. He rubbed his eyes and sat up a little, making sure to be careful. "May I have the water and pain pills please?" he asked. He took the pills first before drinking the water and he completely downed it. He made a really pleased and satisfied sound after drinking all that water. "I will probably have to use the bathroom soon but will you please get me more water?" he asked. "I very much needed that water. My throat feels a little dry and it's waking me up." he told him.

Dean smiled, glad to see Cas drink all of his water. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead and eat, I'll grab you some more water." He said as he took Cas's cup. He was completely okay with being Cas's butler for the day, and wanted to let Cas rest as much as possible.

"Thank you Dean." Castiel smiled. He sat in bed and took a plate that Dean had left out for him but he didn't start eating until Dean came back. He wanted to wait for them to eat breakfast together. He pat the spot next to him for Dean to come join him so they can eat.

Dean returned with the water and smiled softly, noticing that Cas hadn't eaten anything yet. He handed the cup to Cas and climbed in next to him, leaning against the headboard and taking one of the plates of food.

Castiel leaned his head against Dean's shoulder before digging into his food. He sipped on the water before setting it aside for after. He hummed softly, "Your eggs get better every time you cook them, and I still love them every time." he smiled. "So will you take a bath with me Dean? I believe we should invest in bubbles. I hear aroma baths are very soothing." he told him. He ate away at the eggs happily, "Do you think that sounds nice or is that odd?" he asked.

Dean smiled as he ate. "If you think it'd be nice, then no, it's not weird." He replied with a shrug. "I don't mind taking a bath you- that's the only way I ever take baths and honestly they're pretty relaxing." He admitted with a chuckle.

"Then we should do them more often." Castiel offered. He glanced up at Dean, "So will we take a bath after we eat?" He asked.

Dean nodded as he finished his eggs. "Yeah, if you want to. I'll go get the water running and then come back and help you out." He said, taking a swig of water before setting his things aside. He got up and went to the bathroom, knowing fully well they wouldn't have any bubble bath in the house, but wishing they did regardless. He started the water running so that it would warm up and start to fill the tub before he returned to see if Cas was ready.

Castiel was sitting in bed, staring out the window with a soft smile, humming softly as he held the empty plate in his hands. He was very happy this morning, even if he was very sore. He was just happy Dean was there and taking care of him. He felt so loved.

Dean returned and took Cas's plate, setting aside with the others. "Okay, let's go relax." He said with a grin, leaning over to pick Cas up easily. He walked across to the bathroom again, setting Cas to sit on the edge of the tub so that he could strip down and help Cas do the same If he needed it.

Castiel laughed lightly as Dean picked him up, he stripped off the only piece of clothing he had. He looked up at Dean and tilted his head slightly as he waited. "I'm awake for once for the time we've taken a bath together." he commented. "I've always been half asleep when we have." he said. He was waiting for Dean to get in first before himself so he could lay against him.

Dean laughed as he stepped into the tub, sitting down and helping Cas in after him. "You're right, normally you're totally out of it. Well, this time you can enjoy it then."

"I always enjoy them, even if I can't exactly remember everything. I know that you always wash me with great care and tenderness. Even in my daze of unconsciousness, I know." Castiel told him. He smiled softly, glancing back at Dean before leaning back against his chest and breathing out contently at the warm water. "I love your touches. They are so gentle and loving. They make me well with such happiness and affection." he told him.

"Mm, well they're not always so gentle." Dean replied as he rested his hands on Cas's middle, tracing over one of the bruises with his fingers. "But I'm glad the affection makes you happy, and me taking care of you too." He added.

Castiel rest his hands over Dean's as he leaned his head back so it was resting on Dean's shoulder. He slid down a little so it was a bit more comfortable. "Maybe they're not always gentle but they are still fueled by love so I don't mind the roughness, mostly to how you treat me after. You don't treat me roughly and then continue after, you take notice on how I am and take care of me. That is why I'm not scared to let myself go when I'm with you because I trust you. I know you'll take care of me." he said softly.

Dean smiled and rested his head against Cas's. "Of course I'll take care of you. Plus the rougher I am, the nicer I think I should be afterwards. We have a pretty good system." He chuckled lightly.

"Is that your way of saying that you would enjoy being rough with me?" Castiel asked. "Because I enjoy the nice you after?" he glanced up at Dean. "I wouldn't say no to it..." he blushed lightly before looking down at their hands.

Dean arched a brow and ginned, looking down at Cas's blush. "Really? Hm, then we might need to try that out sometime, once you're not so sore." He said.

Castiel distractedly was playing with Dean's fingers. He glanced up at Dean before smiling a bit he raise both of his hands and pushed back Dean's hair to make it damp he laughed softly before leaning over and kissing Dean's cheek.

Dean grinned as Cas pushed his hair back, following his kiss to kiss Cas's lips. He scooped a handful of water out and brushed it through Cas's hair, laughing as it dripped across his face a little

Castiel blinked his eyes to stop it from getting water in it. He rubbed his face in Dean's neck to get the water out of his face. He continued to dip his hands into the water and stroke Dean's hair until it was wet, scooting down with Dean until his shoulders were mostly submerged like him.

Dean made a contented sound as he sank lower in the water, enjoying the feel of the warm water and Cas laying against him. It was quiet and peaceful, and he felt himself relaxing under Cas's hand strokes across his hair.

Castiel was humming softly to himself before he starting singing quietly for Dean as he brushed his hair. "The day we met...frozen I held my breath. Right from the start, I knew that I found the home for my heart, beats fast. Colors and promises...how to be brave...How can I love when I'm afraid...to fall? But watching you stand alone, all of my doubts suddenly goes away somehow." he ran his hand through Dean's hair, looking at him lovingly as he sang to him. "One step closer..." he leaned his forehead against Dean's and continued to sing to him. "I have died everyday...waiting for you. Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years..." He gently laced their fingers together before tilting his head up and pressing a soft kiss to Dean's temple. "I'll love you for a thousand more..."

Dean closed his eyes with a soft smile and leaned gently into the kiss. The pure love and affection in Cas's tone made his heart squeeze, and the idea that his love was directed at Dean was baffling. He didn't know the words by heart, but he remembered the time from when Cas had sung it before and hummed very quietly along. He didn't want to hinder the sound of Cas's voice, but at the same time he wanted to join along.

Castiel smiled a bit at hearing Dean's soft humming, "Time stand still, beauty in all he is...I will be brave. I will not let anything take away, what's standing in front of me..." He looked directly at Dean and took a soft pause. "Every breath, every hour has come to this..." He smiled again before leaning his forehead against Dean again. "One step closer..." he sang softly before going back to the chorus. He slowly started to wrap up the song, "And all along I believed I would find you...time has brought your heart to me. I have loved you for a thousand years..." he slowly leaned in and kissed Dean gently for a few moments before slowly opening his eyes again to say the last verse. "I'll love you for a thousand more." he smiled.

Dean smiled as Cas sang, returning his kiss gently. "I love you." He replied simply, not having any other way to express the emotion welling up inside of him.

Castiel returned his smile before leaning in and giving him another soft kiss. "I know...I love you too." he told him. He went back to resting again Dean's shoulder and traced things on Dean's chest with his finger. He put their laced fingers in his lap and slowly let out a breath, relaxed. "A bath was a very good idea." he said.

Dean made a contented noise as Cas laid back against him. "It was definitely a great idea. I never mind washing you off when you're practically falling asleep, but having you awake is even better." He replied with a smile.

"Mmm, I hope so. I hope that you would enjoy me more when I'm conscious than when I'm not because I can talk to you properly. I would be slightly upset that you would enjoy the delirious version of me more than me normally." Castiel replied. He nuzzled his face into Dean's neck and breathed out, "What do you think we should do today? Allow me to lie in bed all day and ask you for things?" He laughed lightly.

Dean chuckled and shrugged. "If that's what you want, I'm up for it. I don't mind being your butler for the day." He replied with a laugh, resting his chin against Cas's head. "Besides, you need some rest and I'm taking care of you."

"That's sweet of you." Castiel smiled. "I would enjoy spending the day lazing around with you." He said. He turned slightly in the water to have his back more against Dean and adjusted their hands to wrap around him. He lifted his free hand out of the water, spreading all his fingers. "Five days until New year's. Five days and we can start a new year together." He said.

Dean smiled, leaning his head against Cas's and looking at his fingers. "Five days and then a whole new year. It's going to be pretty crazy, with graduation and college and everything, but it'll be amazing since we'll spend it together."

Castiel smiled brightly, "That sounds wonderful." he commented. "I'm sure it'll be amazing. Then we can spend our favorite seasons together. I'll show you the dock during the spring. It's breathtaking. Maybe we can travel together. I know there a place that Gabriel keeps up in the secluded areas, maybe we take a roadtrip with everyone and spend time there in a villa. Graduating, walking the stage together. New years to watch the fireworks. Just spending every day together." he spoke kind of quickly and just let out a breath at the last sentence. "I'm already looking forward to the new year with you." he said.

Dean grinned at how quickly and excitedly Cas spoke, thinking that everything he said sounded amazing. "We can do all of that and even more. We have all the time in the world." He replied softly, leaning over slightly to kiss Cas's cheek.

Castiel giggled, putting his hand back in the water. He was excited for the Year to be over but he didn't want it to go by quickly, he wanted every moment. He hummed softly, "Will we actually take a bath or is this a soak?" he asked. "I don't mind either. Though we can always run more warm water. I wouldn't disagree to that." he said happily.

"I guess an actual bath would be good." Dean replied with a chuckle. He shifted Cas slightly to lift the drain and let some water run out before reaching up to run some more hot water and make their bath warm again. "There, that better?" He asked, grabbing the shampoo while he was sitting up before leaning back again and resettling Cas where he had been before.

The water was much warmer than it had been minutes ago, Castiel didn't realize how cool it had gotten. He lowered himself into the water and let out a pleased sound. "Much better..." he said happily. "Baths are nice..." he murmured, enjoying the warmth all around him.

Dean smiled at Cas's reaction, dipping his hand in the water and running it through Cas's hair again to make it damper. "I'm glad you're enjoying this. Hopefully the whole day will be this relaxing." He replied, squeezing some shampoo into his hands and running them together before beginning to massage it into his hair. Dean was enjoying being able to take care of Cas- he had always liked feeling needed by people, and knowing that Cas liked it made it more worthwhile for him.

Castiel leaned back, completely onto Dean and stayed submerged in the water. He closed his eyes and let Dean run his hands through his hair. He felt that warm feeling in him, the love that he has for Dean. The soft flutter of his heart and the little squeezes that he felt in his heart. "You're so perfect and amazing..." he mumbled quietly.

Dean's smile faltered slightly, a darker part of him wondering how Cas could possibly think he was perfect in any way, before his smile regained its sincerity. Cas thought he was perfect because he loved him, exactly the same way Dean thought Cas was perfect. "You're even more amazing." He replied softly, washing the shampoo off of his hands in the water and starting to carefully rinse it out of Cas's hair with his hands.

Castiel smiled, "Thank you." he said. All the tension that was in his body when he woke up this morning was gone. He was relaxed and carefree. "I love the way your hands feel in my hair...feels nice..." he commented. He hasn't opened his eyes yet so his full attention was on the touches Dean did in his hair and they were so careful and gentle.

Dean smiled at Cas's reaction, continuing to brush his fingers through even after he had gotten all of the soap out. "That's good, because I like how your hair feels on my hands." He replied with a light chuckle, relaxing in the warm water as he did. Cas sounded like he was relaxed as well, and with his eyes closed he almost seemed as though he would fall asleep again.

Castiel made a soft agreeing sound as he stayed still, leaning back against Dean. It smelt like his soap and it was a nice mix in the quiet bathroom. "Don' stop talkin'...I'll fall asleep..." he murmured. He really was relaxed with everything and it made him feel safe to let go of everything. He always felt this vulnerable and opened with Dean but he didn't care.

"Hmm, but I don't know what to talk about." Dean replied, smiling at how close to sleep Cas was anyway. "I like what you said earlier, about traveling together." He said after pausing to think for a moment. "I told you a while ago that we could run away, but now I don't think we're running anymore. There's still problems and stuff that we have to deal with, but it doesn't seem so overwhelming anymore."

"No it's not..." Castiel agreed. "We'll travel together...promise." he told him. He sat there quietly for a few moments before he came to a question to ask Dean. "...When's your birthday Dean?" he asked. "I...I don't think I know it." he said before opening his eyes and sitting up a bit.

"I don't think I've told you. I don't normally want to make a big deal about it." Dean replied, wondering what made Cas think about it. "But it's in January, the 24th." He answered. "When's yours?" He asked, now wanting to know since Cas brought it up.

"That's this coming month." Castiel replied. "I could have missed it!" he said. He looked up at Dean, "August. August 20th." he responded. "I'm born near the end of summer." he smiled. "Your favorite season."

"Another reason to love summer, then." Dean replied with a smile. "I wouldn't have let you miss it completely- I probably just would have waited until the 24th to mention it. Maybe try to convince you to make me a pie or something." He said, chuckling.

"Maybe you'll get pie. You'll just have to wait and see won't you?" Castiel told him. "Well it's a good thing I didn't miss it. Now I can plan a surprise for you." he smiled happily. He started making a little mental list for himself but didn't put much thought into it for now. He looked back up at Dean, "Should I wash your hair for you now then?" he asked.

"You really don't need to worry about it." Dean said, not wanting Cas to put too much effort into it. He really didn't mind if they didn't do anything special, but for now he decided to drop it. "Sure, do you want me to move or anything to make it easier?" He offered.

"I want to sit behind you." Castiel smiled, looking up at Dean. "Is that okay?" he asked. "It'll be easier for me to wash your hair. I can turn in your lap, but last time we went into a much more exerting activity." he said.

Dean grinned. "As fun as that was, I think it'd be best for you to avoid that kind of thing today." He chuckled, moving in the water and shifting Cas so that Dean was sitting in front of him.

Castiel leaned back against the tub and pulled Dean closely and lightly poured some water on him. The back of the tub was warm from Dean leaning on it. He hummed softly as he took the shampoo and squeezed out some before rubbing it into Dean's hair. He watched the shampoo turn to suds as he massaged it into Dean's scalp. He hummed softly as he did, "I think it would be an idea to avoid it for a few days, not just today Dean. I would enjoy walking. Thank you." he laughed.

"Mm, if you say so." Dean teased with a smile, leaning back slightly onto Cas. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Cas's hands in his hair and the warm water all around him. He could definitely see why Cas had almost been falling asleep earlier.

"Are you saying I would prefer to not be able to walk?" Castiel asked. "Or are you agreeing with me that we should avoid it for a few days?" he added. He gently scrubbed Dean's hair and tilted Dean's head back slightly as he lightly poured water onto it to get the suds out. He continued to do that until the suds were gone and he ran his hand through Dean's hair a few more times before he leaned down and pressed his lips to Dean's hair and stayed here. He wrapped his arms around Dean and just stayed resting into his hair and slowly breathed in and out.

"No, you're right, we should avoid it for a few days." Dean replied as Cas scrubbed his hair. He kept his eyes closed and rested his hands over Cas's once he wrapped his arms around him. He let out a soft breath, enjoying their peaceful quiet.

Castiel smiled a little at Dean putting his arms over his. He kept his hold around Dean before moving his head slightly and dropping it down to Dean's shoulder. He placed a kiss on it, before peppering Dean's neck with affectionate kisses.

Dean grinned, laughing quietly at the light kisses Cas gave across his neck. He turned in Cas's arms and laid a hand across his cheek so that Dean could kiss him softly.

Castiel kissed Dean back gently and squeezed him a little. "I think our bath is getting cold. I think we should get out now." He murmured. He smiled a little before kissing Dean again. "Drain the water please." He said.

Dean smiled against the kiss and nodded. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Otherwise we'll be prunes." He said as he sat up and reached to pull up the drain. He let some of the water go out before he stood, wrapping a towel around himself before getting another for Cas and draping it around him as Dean helped him up.

Castiel pulled the towel more around him as Dean helped him stand up. He wasn't as sore as he was this morning and he felt a lot better from the pain killers, massage, and bath. He still let Dean help him though, it was nice. He followed Dean out the tub and dried himself off. He dried off his unruly hair last and let out a content sound for being clean again. "That was very nice. I feel a lot better." He said.

"I'm glad. I wasn't sore or anything, but it was definitely nice." Dean replied as he toweled himself off. He looked up at Cas's mess of hair and chuckled, running his hand through it once before leaving it alone. "You want to walk back or do you want me to help you?" He asked, in case Cas wanted to stretch his legs a little.

"I can walk." Castiel replied. "I'll try now so I'll know I'd I can do it later." He said. He stretched his legs out a bit and his arms, letting a pleased sound slip through as he stood there. He glanced at Dean before lightly pushing him, "Walk first, I don't want you to see me walking weird." He laughed. He wrapped his towel around his waist, "You can go get my clothes first."

"I wouldn't laugh at you or anything." Dean replied as he rolled his eyes but did as Cas said. He went out first, fishing out clothes for both of them and starting to change while Cas came out so he wouldn't be watching him.

Castiel took a few hesitant steps, feeling the slight weirdness of waking. He walked around the bathroom a few times before he got used to it and walked out of the bathroom and picked up the clothes that Dean laid out for him. He hummed before fishing in Dean's drawers and taking his clothes and putting it on. He giggled happily before hiding into the blankets.

Dean glanced up with an arched brow when he heard Cas's giggle. He laughed when he realized Cas was wearing his clothes, rolling his eyes in amusement. "What, your clothes aren't good enough?" He asked with a chuckle and as he plopped down on the bed beside Cas.

"No of course not." Castiel giggled again as he hid into the blankets and covered himself. "I like your bigger shirts better. They're more comfy and soft because they've been well used." He explained. "So I like them better." He smiled under the blanket.

"Hmm, well I like my shirts on you more than them just laying around, so I'm okay with it." Dean replied as he laughed at Cas's movements to hide himself. "You're pretty adorable, you know that?" He asked with a grin.

Castiel shifted on the blankets and pulled them out a bit from under Dean before plopping onto him and peeking out from the blankets with a smile. "Am I?" He asked as he stayed curled up in the blankets on Dean's chest.

Dean grinned and wrapped his arms around Cas tightly. "Hmmm..." He hummed, pretending to think about it. "Maybe just a little." He decided teasingly, breaking into a laugh as he pulled Cas closer.

Castiel smiled, hiding back into the blankets. "I'm still cute." He laughed a bit, enjoying the rumbling of Dean's laughing underneath him. It made him smile.

Dean laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're still cute. Sometimes." He teased, leaning back and pulling Cas- still wrapped in the blanket- with him.

Castiel rubbed his face into Dean's chest and giggled happily. "All the time." he corrected. "I'm adorable all the time." he said. He stayed curled up underneath the blankets, hiding from Dean.

"On occasion. Every once in a while you're kind of cute, I guess." Dean teased with a grin. Since Cas was hiding his face in the blankets and couldn't see Dean, he paused for a moment before squeezing him tightly and rolling them both quickly over so that he could see Cas's face, laughing as he did.

Castiel made a small surprised sound at the sudden movement and his eyes widened a bit as he glanced up at Dean to see him laughing. He laughed lightly before hiding away again. He brought that blankets back over his face and held them there so Dean couldn't see him.

"Aw, why d'you keep hiding? Normally you only hide away when you're blushing." Dean comment with a grin, laughing lightly as he gave the bundle of blankets a squeeze.

Castiel giggled, "Because I want to." he replied. He peeped out of the blankets and glanced at Dean before hiding away again. "I'm hiding. You can't see me." he stated. "I'll come back out if you admit that I'm cute." he laughed. He didn't really care if Dean thought he was actually cute or not, just wanting to be playful with Dean.

Dean sighed dramatically, glad Cas couldn't see the grin that he wasn't able to hide. "Fine, fine, you're cute. You're adorable, all the time. Whether I can see you or not." He added, chuckling.

Castiel popped out from the blankets with a playful smile. "I knew it. You were lying to me." he laughed. He wiggled the blankets from under Dean before opening them and pulling Dean into them with him and hugging him.

Dean's eyes widened slightly and he laughed as Cas hugged him. "Of course you knew it. I'd feel bad if you didn't know just how cute and amazing you are because that would mean I don't tell you enough." He replied, wrapping his arms around Cas again and giving him a kiss.

Castiel kissed Dean back softly, "Then you should know how perfect and beautiful you are." he told him. "I will tell you more often if you don't and I'll still tell you if you do." he smiled. "You deserve to know."

"Then I'll do the same." Dean said quietly, smiling softly. " Except then no one will want to be around us. They already say we're in our own little world, and if we're always reminding each other of how awesome we are, they might get sick of us." He joked, laughing lightly.

"Not always but maybe one in a while so the other doesn't forget." Castiel ran his nose a bit along Dean's cheek. "Or maybe just between us, when we're alone." He smiled. "Either is fine." He said before kissing Dean on the cheek.

"Mm, that sounds good to me." Dean responded, leaning slightly into his touch and closing his eyes. "So since we're alone, I'll remind you that I love you. Just so you don't forget." Dean said with a smik

"I love you too." Castiel smiled. "Very much." He added. He squeezed Dean gently, enjoying his weight on him. "I'll be sure to remind you too. So you don't forget that either." He kissed Dean softly.

"Good." Dean said and smiled against the kiss before pulling away and resting his chin on Cas's chest. "So you're on bed rest and I'm your servant for the day." He said, thinking out loud. "Anything you want me to do for you? Other than just lay on top of you." He added with a laugh.

Castiel hummed, resting his hands on the small of Dean's back. "I just want to lay in bed with you as my blanket. I would say we could watch movies, but we never pay attention. I can cook, but we already ate. We can go on a date but I'm bed ridden. We can talk. What was your past birthdays like?" He asked. "I want to talk about you today."

"Be your blanket and talk about myself. I think I can manage that." Dean replied, pausing for a moment before answering Cas's question. He didn't particularly want to talk about it, but he knew if Cas was curious then he might as well tell him. "I dunno, I had normal birthdays for the most part as a kid. Then things got bad and I pretty much stopped celebrating them for the most part." He answered, shrugging. "I didn't mind though. There was always more important things going on." He added.

"Well this time it'll be different. It'll be special. I promise. I'll make up for all the birthdays you missed." Castiel smiled, determined to make it something special. He looked at Dean, "If you would like you can ask me a question. What was your favorite memory as a kid?" He asked.

Dean paused again, thinking about it. He had some good memories, but they were mostly tinged with sadness for one reason or another. He smiled suddenly though, remembering one in particular. "One time, about three years ago, I snuck out with Sam and walked over to an empty field on the fourth of July. I managed to get some fireworks without my dad knowing, and we set them off together. That was pretty awesome." He said, trailing off quietly as he thought more about it and grinned.

Castiel smiled softly, squeezing Dean closely. "You're so sweet." He said quietly. He loved Dean for many reasons, one of them was for how he put others before himself and cared so much about them, though sometime he forgot about himself and then it was Castiel's job to remind him that sometimes he should be put first and let him know that someone cared for him too. "...Can you tell me about your mother?" He asked shyly after a few moments. "I want to know about the beautiful person who gave birth to you." He said softly.

Dean let out a breath, thinking again. "She was amazing. She did everything from try to protect us from our dad to cutting the crusts off my sandwiches." He said, chuckling lightly. "She used to tell me that angels were watching over me. I might have already told you that, but she'd say it every night. It was always comforting." He continued, looking down as he spoke.

Castiel paused for a minute, listening to Dean talk about his mother. He never had someone to defend him from their father or cut the crust off his sandwiches or never tucked him in either. He looked at Dean as he looked down, figuring Dean was thinking about his mother now. He hugged him gently. "I'll watch over you." He said softly. "I'm no Angel, but I'll watch over you." He told him.

Dean looked up and met Cas's eyes with a smile. "Mm, you're pretty close to an angel as far as I'm concerned." He replied. "But I'll watch over you if you're watching over me. A knight and an angel, out against the world." He said softly.

Castiel laughed softly, "Us against the world. I think I love those odds." He said. He kissed Dean's forehead. "Tell me more about yourself. I want to know." He said. "What animal would you like to have, what is your dream to do before your die, anything. I want to hear all of it." He smiled.

Dean smiled and closed his eyes as Cas kissed his forehead, opening them again as he spoke. "Hmm, I've always wanted a dog, I guess. As for a dream before I die... I don't know. I just want a job I like, spend my life with someone I love, and not make any of the mistakes my dad did." He finished, looking up at him. "What about all of that for you?" He asked curiously.

"I told you before, once, that I was going to be a writer with a cat. I enjoy all types of animals but cats seemed like the fitting companion for me." Castiel explained. "I think I would want to have one published novel before I die, my dream is to be considered one of the best writers." He laughed lightly. "It's something I'll try to achieve and I'll see where I'll land. I want to be able to live somewhere away from it all, the city, the ruckus. I want to see the beauty of the world, nature. I want to travel and live somewhere cozy in peace with no worries. I dream of a simple but extraordinary life." He told him. He looked back down at Dean with a smile. "I want to live with someone I love too." He said.

Dean smiled as he listened to Cas, loving what he described. "Sounds like our futures go pretty nicely together. I bet we can manage a dog and a cat." Dean replied with a laugh. "And of course you'll have at least one book published, probably a whole lot more. I already know you'll be one of the best- you just have to prove it to the other people."

Castiel kissed the tip of Dean's nose. "Maybe we can manage a dog and a cat. I like that idea." He said. He traced his fingers on Dean's back, "What would you like for your birthday?" He asked.

"I don't know. A birthday pie maybe. Then again, I had no idea what I wanted for Christmas, but you managed pretty well." He added with a grin.

"Offering myself is like me going into your closet and pulling out the leather jacket you wear frequently and giving it back to you. You already have me." Castiel replied. "I'll think of something to give you." He hummed. He hugged Dean closely and let out a content breath. "Do you ever think about what it would have been like if we wouldn't have met? Just think about it for a moment...if you wouldn't have made that choice to talk to me, to help me. If /you/ wouldn't have made any of those choices that you did. We would have never started talking." He said. "When I think of that, I can't help but think about what people have missed or avoided if they didn't make a certain choice and that is amazing..."

Dean thought about it for a moment, wondering if he had been busier that day or preoccupied, if none of this would have happened. "I don't know. That's kind of freaky to think about." He admitted. "I've never really believed in soulmates or anything like that, but I really don't think my life would have been /right/ without you, y'know?"

Castiel nuzzled into Dean. "I don't think my life would have been either." He said. He smiled softly before kissing Dean's cheek. He rolled them over and laid on top of Dean. He believed in a lot of things, reading mythology and everything he had made him believe in some things that he wouldn't ever admit. "I'm glad you choose to talk to me." He said happily. "You changed my life."

"Talking to you was probably the best decision of my life. You've changed me too, more than I would have ever thought someone could." Dean replied with a smile, wrapping his arms around Cas and resting one hand over the other on the small of his back.

Castiel smiled brightly, glad that Dean thought so much of him. He leaned up a bit and gave Dean's face little affectionate kisses. He laughed lightly as he did. They laid in bed most of the day, occasionally getting up to go cook food and use the bathroom but most of the day was them spending it in bed, talking. They just laid there with each other, staring at the ceiling or at each other as they talked. They laughed and kissed. It was just a peaceful and loving day for them, completely different from the day before.

The next few days were kind of like that, they just relaxed and enjoyed the peaceful time they had. No school, no worries, no problems. They just had each other and that was more than enough. They were getting ready for New Years and today was New Year's Eve.

Dean rubbed his hands together in anticipation, excited and eager to go back to the look out with Cas. He'd definitely loved it last time, and with the fireworks at midnight it would be even more amazing.

Castiel had cooked some food for them to bring along to watch the fireworks. He was so excited, getting to spend the New Year with Dean sounded amazing. Charlie and Kevin had texted them a few days before if they would spend New Years together and go party together with them afterwards. She said she'd sneak some alcohol for them so it'll just be them after.

Castiel had looked at Dean that day and asked him they were allowed to come and didn't know if Dean wanted to share his secret place he shared with Castiel. Dean was fine with having Charlie and Kevin come, figuring that they of all people would enjoy the spot too. And Charlie offered to bring alcohol, which was a plus. He wasn't exactly sure of what their plan was, but he knew it was going to be fun.

Castiel was packing up all the food and put it away in a big container into the fridge and smiled pleasantly. He walked over to Dean after he was done and hugged him. "Think we should go invite Sam too? I know what Charlie said but it'll be sad to leave him here alone." he said.

"Yeah, I'm good with inviting him. We'll take care of him, I'm not worried." Dean replied, figuring Sam probably wouldn't even want to drink. He was probably one of the only high school kids who was completely responsible of their own free will, so he wasn't concerned with any of it.

"Tonight is going to be amazing. We are all going to be together and we're going to be celebrating the Upcoming Year, to good memories. I'm so excited." Castiel said happily. He was never excited for the New year, a new year meant trying to get to the end of another but this time he looked forward to it. He was excited for the new year, he was not dreading it or praying that he'll somehow manage. He was going to start this year right.

Dean grinned, catching some of Cas's enthusiasm. "You're right- it's gonna be really awesome." He replied. For once, he was going to end a year better than it had started. It felt like he'd been going downhill for a while now, but with Cas everything was different. It was going to be a good end to one year and an amazing start for the next.

Castiel smiled before leaning up and kissing Dean. "We have a few hours before we leave, do you think we need to get anything else before we meet everyone here for tonight?" he asked. "It's still kind of early, we still have time before they come." he said.

Dean thought about it, going through a mental checklist. Cas had the food, Charlie was bringing drinks, other than maybe some blankets they would probably be good. "Not that I can think of, unless you want some firecrackers or something. Otherwise, I don't think there's much else we need." He replied and shrugged.

"Firecrackers?" Castiel tilted his head slightly. "That sounds like a wonderful idea! Let's go get things to play with while we wait. We can have things to do while we're there and it won't be that cold outside as it has been. It'll be perfect!" he said with more excitement, bouncing slightly. "I'll tell Sam to come spend time with us and then we can go to the store and go get some firecrackers okay?" he smiled brightly before kissing Dean on the cheek and jogging upstairs.

Dean laughed at Cas's excitement as he disappeared upstairs. He was glad Cas was looking forward to this New Year so much. They were definitely going to have fun and he was getting pretty excited as well. He walked over and grabbed his keys while he waited for Cas to return, tossing them and catching them a few times.

Castiel jogged back downstairs and smiled at Dean. He took Dean's hand after Dean caught the keys and pulled him to the door, "C'mon. C'mon." He said excitedly.

Dean grinned and let Cas pull him along. "Alright, alright, I'm coming!" He said as he followed Cas to the car. "You're so excited- I love it though." He added as he went over to the impala, sliding in and glancing at Cas as he got into the passenger side.

Castiel smiled, humming in his seat when he buckled in. He looked over at Dean, "I'm glad I don't annoy you with how excited I am." He said. "I am very excited though. I never got a chance to play with firecrackers." He told him.

"Of course I don't think it's annoying. I'm glad you're excited. I just hope it lives up to it." Dean replied with a chuckle as he started to drive. "Firecrackers are definitely awesome, I think you're going to love it. I know a place not too far where we can get some."

"It'll definitely be amazing." Castiel smiled. "Just us being here together for the new year, that already perfect. Anything more to that is just adding to it." He said happily. He glanced out the window and watched the road go by, he couldn't wait until tonight. This was so exciting.

Dean smiled, getting excited for that night as well. He pulled up to a temporary firework shop, browsing with Cas at all of the things they sold before buying some firecrackers for everyone to set off. "Anything else you think looks fun?" He asked, turning to Cas. They probably wouldn't want serious fireworks, but they could get something small if Cas wanted.

"Sparklers." Castiel said excitedly, rocking back and forth on his heels and held the box that he just picked up. "I want sparklers." He told him. "Can we buy these?" He asked.

"Yeah, of course. That sounds like a good idea, I bet everyone will love that." Dean smiled as he replied, taking the box as well as the firecrackers to go buy them. "Anything else?" He asked, wanting to be sure before he paid.

Castiel hummed, looking around again. "No. I think that's all I want." He smiled. The cashier rang up everything for them.

"Don't get in trouble. Have a good new year." The cashier told them.

Castiel nodded, "Thank you. You have a great new year as well." He replied as he took the bag for Dean and waited for him before walking to the door and back to the impala.

Dean paid and wished the cashier a happy new year as well before following Cas back to the car. "Okay, I think we're pretty much set for tonight. Anything else we need, or are we just going to hang out until it's time?" He asked, glancing over at Cas as he started the car.

"We can just enjoy each other's company before everyone else comes." Castiel replied.

They drove back and they spent a little while talking until Charlie and Kevin came and they smiled at them. "Hey bitches!" Charlie greeted as they came in. "So I actually got us a pickup truck and I think it'll be the best idea ever to make the bed in the back of it. It'll be the softest! I got more blankets." She said excitedly.

"That sounds awesome." Dean enthused, glad to see them. Lying in the back of her truck with blankets would be comfortable and warm. "We got some firecrackers and sparklers too, so this is going to be amazing." He added, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

"If you guys can help me set it up now, we don't have to later and always bring spare blankets, because the more the better!" Charlie said happily before going back out.

Kevin waved hello to them before following her out. Sam had come down at some point and caught some of the words and Castiel explained to him so they all helped set up the little cozy bed for them and it was big so they could all fit, but would need to take a separate car to get up the hill.

Charlie pulled a cover over it all and looked pleased after it was done. "Okay so we have a little bit before it starts getting dark, any ideas on what we should do til then?" She asked.

"We can go there early and eat and play before the fireworks." Kevin offered. "No harm with going early." He said.

"Good point. So you guys want to head up now?" Charlie grinned.

Castiel smiled, nodding before going back into the house and grabbing a few things and put them into the impala. He grabbed a few blankets and pillows before he perked and ran back in the house and came back out with his two kittens. He held them close and rocked back and forth on his heels. He was probably the most excited of any of them and they were all pretty excited.

Dean grinned, Cas's enthusiasm spreading to him. He loved how excited he seemed, and it made him happy. "Okay, looks like we're all set." He said, smiling at Cas with the cats. "Let's get this party started." He added with a laugh.

"Yeah!" Charlie grinned. "Lead the way Winchester!" She said happily as her and Kevin got in the truck and Sam climbed into the back seat. Castiel slid into the passenger side and settled his cats in his lap before buckling himself in. The drive wasn't that bad and soon they were there and they had just a good of view as when Dean took him there.

Charlie 's jaw dropped once she saw the place, "Oh my god. This place is gorgeous." She said.

"I know isn't it?" Castiel said happily. "Dean showed it to me." He told her.

"Wow, Dean such a romantic." Charlie laughed.

Kevin backed up the car for her and settled it right before getting out and looking at the group. "So what first?" He asked. "Food? Games?"

Dean rolled his eyes good naturedly at Charlie's romantic comment, deciding not to make a retort. He wasn't normally great with that sort of thing, but he had really done well last time they'd been there. "How about games /and/ food?" Dean asked in response to Kevin's question, grinning.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Charlie grinned.

She pulled off the cover of their bed and climbed up to it and left the shoes on the back edge so they wouldn't get the blankets dirty. Earlier she left the snacks and games on the bedding. Kevin and Sam followed after her example and then Dean and Cas. They made sure not to get the bedding dirty. Castiel bundled himself in the soft blankets with the cats once he got there and made a happy sound.

Sam had grabbed the food for them and settled there. "So what games did you bring?" He asked as he unpacked some food. Castiel made sandwiches, pasta, little parfaits, cookies, and brownies.

"Card games, plus the fireworks." Charlie told him. "We'll play with the fireworks when it gets darker." She said as she shuffled the deck. "So how about b.s. for the first game?" She asked.

"How do you play that?" Castiel asked.

Dean took a sandwich as he settled in contentedly beside Cas. "Ohh, yeah, that'll be perfect for all of us to play. It's pretty easy, I bet you'll get the hang of it quickly. You'll probably be really good if you have a good poker face." He said before he explained the rules of b.s to Cas, letting him know how to play.

Castiel nodded, listening intently and he understood the idea. Charlie dealt out the cards and Castiel organized them correctly.

Charlie looked at everyone over her cards. "Who wants to start?" She asked.

"One ace." Kevin said casually.

"Two twos." Sam placed his cards on top.

Castiel glanced at his cards but couldn't find the next card so he figured he lie, "One three." He said softly.

Charlie glanced at him but couldn't read him, "Three fours." Charlie said smoothly, brushing her hair back.

"B.S." Kevin said first.

"What?" Charlie said appalled.

"You heard me, pick them up." Kevin replied.

Charlie huffed before picking them up then she looked over at Castiel, "Oh you sly Fox." She laughed.

Castiel hid more into the blankets, holding his cats close. They played for a while before someone finally won. Castiel won. He had the best poker face than all of them. Dean came close but even he couldn't always read Castiel. Castiel always picked up on the small things that gave them away and called them out. They laughed a lot and ate away the food before it started getting dark. They played more card games. Then it was dawning and it had a nice sunset which Castiel wanted to see badly. He scrambled to the end of the truck to stare out at the city, bring the blanket and his kittens with him.

Dean was impressed at just how good Cas was at the game, and jokingly thought Cas could get away with a lot by lying that well. He grinned as Cas rushed to the edge of the truck, scooting to sit beside him more slowly and admired the sunset. "Pretty spectacular, huh?" He commented, glancing from the darkening sky to Cas and back again.

Castiel sighed dreamily. "Yes. It is." He said softly as he squeezed his cats close. He leaned his head onto Dean's shoulder and scooted closer to him until he tangled his fingers into Dean's.

Charlie looked over at the two and leaned onto Kevin. "Why can't you be all extra romantic with me like that, we're best friends." she pouted.

"The wrong type of best friend." Kevin replied. Sam laughed as he scooted over and leaned onto Charlie so they were all leaning on Kevin.

"This isn't what I signed up for." Kevin looked at the two, who smiled at him.

Dean smiled and rested his head on Cas's, letting out a relaxed breath as they watched the sun set. It felt like a perfect moment, surrounded by friends, with Cas, and a sunset. "Last sunset of the year, and it's a good one." He said with a smile.

"We watched the sunset together the second day we met." Castiel smiled. "Now look where we are." he glanced over at Dean. He kissed Dean's cheek.

Charlie gently kicked Dean's back, "Hey, no being sappy and lovey dovey. Us onlookers are getting lonely too." She laughed. Kevin didn't say anything, he really didn't care.

Sam shrugged, "So do you think we should light up the firecrackers soon and the sparklers?" he asked.

Castiel hummed softly, "Just a little longer and we can." he said as he leaned against Dean.

"Hey, I was barely doing anything!" Dean protested with a laugh, turning to bat at Charlie's foot with his free hand. "You heard the man, we get a little longer to be cheesy and gross and then we'll light up some firecrackers." He added, smiling as he turned back to rest on Cas again and follow his gaze.

Charlie laughed, pulling away her foot and curling back up around Kevin and Sam hugging them both. Castiel let out a slow breath as he rubbed his thumb across Dean's knuckles as he watched the sun slowly go down. He couldn't help but think about the people down in the city, never stopping to look up at the sky and watching their sun set. How beautiful the world and everything in it was, even with all the sorrows and sadness. It was still beautiful, a raw beauty under it all. He loved nature, seeing it like this. Away from the hustle of the city, just to enjoy the stars and the sunset. Maybe the stars weren't perfect up here from the clouded skies of the city air but one day, he'll take Dean and show him the stars.

Dean glanced at Cas from the corner of his eye and smiled, glad he was getting to enjoy the view that they hadn't paid as much attention to the last time they were there. He could tell Cas was deep in thought, and he mentally made a note to ask him what he was thinking when they were alone.

Castiel hummed softly once he saw the sun go down more. "Okay we can play now." he said.

Charlie grinned, "Yay!" she said excitedly. "Anyone have a lighter?" she asked.

Everyone glanced at each other. "Oh crap...did we forget a lighter?" Sam stated.

"I hope not..." Kevin sighed.

Castiel looked at Dean, "Do you have one?" he asked. "Should we go buy one?"

"Oh, hang on." Dean replied, jogging over to the impala. He rummaged around for a moment before returning triumphantly, a red lighter in his hand. "I knew I had one somewhere. Never know when you might need one." He said. "So who wants to do the honors first?" He asked, glancing around at everyone.

"You do it Dean." Charlie smiled.

Kevin shrugged, "Yeah you already have the lighter so you start it." he said.

"Why don't you help Cas with it, light it together for the first time. Then two people go at once and he'll get the first time." Sam offered.

Castiel tilted his head, "It's okay. I don't mind if Dean goes first." he said. "I can go after. It doesn't matter to me."

"We can do it together, come on." Dean replied with a smile, gesturing for Cas to come closer. "I take it you've never set one of these babies off, so I'll help you out." He said as he took one of the firecrackers out. He set it on the ground, not too close to anyone, and helped Cas strike the lighter and catch the fuse before pulling him back out of the way and watching it ignite. He grinned as it went off, eyes glued to it as it launched away from them and burst with an electric blue blast in the air.

Castiel watched in awe, seeing it set off. He bounced excitedly, jumping up and down a little bit as he held onto Dean. "That was very cool!" he said happily. "I didn't expect it to be blue." he commented.

Sam chuckled a bit, "You're so excited for just a small firecracker, wait til you see fireworks." he said.

"They're pretty decent here, but some places go up and beyond that. It's pretty amazing." Charlie told him.

Kevin shrugged, "I've seen an air force performance before, that was pretty cool." he said. "Can we light another?"

Castiel asked excitedly. "Please?" he added.

Dean laughed and nodded at Cas's excitement, though he was just as excited by it. "Yeah, go for it. Here, you can light this one." He said, offering another cracker and his lighter to Cas. He didn't know what color any of them were, but he didn't mind at all.

Castiel took the firecracker and lighter and lit it up before he tossed it away from everyone and it set off, this time it was green and Castiel made a delighted sound, bouncing. Charlie and Kevin were sitting on the edge of the truck with Sam standing off the side, watching Castiel acting like a child.

They laughed lightly, "I feel like a proud parent, watching my kid do something for the first time." Charlie commented.

"Well he's probably more excited than we would be about it." Kevin commented.

"That's true." Sam nodded. "But it's still fun to play with them." he said.

Castiel turned to them, "Oh, sorry. here you go." he smiled brightly before giving them the lighter and some firecrackers before he went back over to Dean and rocked back and forth on his heels happily. Sam took the lighter first before he lit three in a row and tossed them and they each set off a different color. Red, Gray, and orange.

Everyone was cheering excitedly, "Light them all and toss them." Charlie told Sam.

"Do you mind Cas?" Sam asked, looking at him.

"No, it's okay. Go ahead." Castiel told him. Sam lit them all up before tossing them aside and they all set off one after the other in a different assortment of colors and Castiel watched in awe, loving them.

Dean's eyes lit up as the firecrackers went off, grinning up at the flashes of light. He glanced at Cas and his grin widened at his expression. He was definitely glad try had decided to do this. "Do you want to light up the sparklers?" He asked as the lights faded to smoke above them.

"Yes!" Castiel said immediately before he shyly covered his mouth from his outburst. "I would love to." he added.

Charlie grinned before sliding on her shoes and hopping off the truck and grabbing the box of sparklers and telling everyone to gather together. She handed them each one. "So who wants to light them?" she asked.

"I'll do it." Kevin said as he took the lighter and lit the sparklers up for everyone. They slowly started burning and sparked. Castiel watched in pure childlike enjoyment and drew little things in the air with it. Everyone was really happy to play with their sparklers and drawing things and they would soon burn out and they were laughing. Charlie grinned before giving Castiel the last sparkler and Dean the lighter before going with Kevin and hopping back onto the truck.

"So we have celebration drinks for the New Year. Should we crack them open?" she asked. "We have the baby things, like wine coolers but we also have something harder if we wanted to mix with juice." she said.

Dean smiled and lit the sparkler for Cas, laughing happily at how overjoyed he looked at something so simple. He glanced back at Charlie and grinned. "Yeah, let's break out the good stuff. It's New Year after all. Go hard or go home." He replied.

Castiel doodled little things, watching the light trail after and he smiled brightly. Charlie grinned before putting out what she had and humming, "It's about 10 something, close to 11. So we'd be good." she said. "What about Sam over here?" she asked.

"I don't mind. As long as you guys don't go overboard." Sam shrugged.

"I'll drive her home if she does." Kevin told him.

Charlie huffed, "Fine, no need to be such a parent. Anyways, do you want to try some Sam? I mean you don't have to, but I'll offer you a wine cooler if you want." she said. "It's not a lot of alcohol but you can probably still taste it maybe." she told him. "You can grab whatever you want Dean, make something for us. Surprise us." Charlie laughed.

Sam hummed, "I might just taste some for the new year, but I'm probably not going to drink." he said.

Charlie looked at Castiel, "Do you drink, like have you ever?" she asked.

"Yes. I have. I go to parties that often serve those drinks. I have a tolerance for them." he said.

"I'm surprised, you know what alcohol is like but not playing with sparklers? That's just so weird that we're the same age and everything, but you're completely different. It's pretty cool." Charlie smiled.

Castiel returned her smile, "I'm full of surprises." he told her before going back to his slowly fading sparkler.

"Yeah, he definitely is." Dean chimed in with a smile as he walked over to the cooler where Charlie had the alcohol. He looked through what she had brought before getting some cups and starting to make some drinks for them. "Here we go, this is a good New Year drink. It's called like a poinsettia or something. Anyway, champagne, cranberry juice, and a little vodka for a kick." He told them, raising up one of the cups to take a drink and smiling. "Yep, it's pretty good." He said with a laugh.

Charlie took one of the cups and took a drink, she hummed. "Mmm, that's good." she agreed before drinking some more. "So know how to make drinks do ya Dean?" she arched a brow over the cup.

Kevin took one cup and sipped on some, "Not bad." he said. "Still tastes like alcohol but it's not that bad." he said. Castiel took a cup and took a tasting sip, he gently licked the side of his lip.

He glanced at Sam before offering his cup, Sam looked a little skeptical before sipping some and making a disgusted face. "Gross." he commented.

Charlie handed him a water bottle, "Just gotta get used to the taste Moosey. It sucks at first." she said. "Some aren't so bad though." she drank a bit more as they sat on the edge of the truck.

"Maybe but for now it tastes pretty gross." Sam told her as he sipped on the water.

"How about a wine cooler? They are lighter." she said before handing him one.

Sam opened it and sipped on some, he tilted his head slightly trying to decide on what he thinks of it. "I can still taste it but it's not so bad." he said.

"Well it's just for fun. We're not going to get roaring drunk, just tipsy I guess." Charlie laughed. "Everything is more fun when you're tipsy." she said.

Castiel easily tipped back the drink before setting it aside and humming softly. He looked out over the city, seeing the lights come on for the night and he enjoyed watching it.

"I seriously hope you aren't a lightweight Cas." Charlie arched a brow to see him finish that drink.

"Nope. I know how much I can take." Castiel replied.

Dean watched Cas finish the drink, remembering that he had been fine at the party but curious at just how much he could drink. Dean had his own more slowly, taking sips from it. "Well Mr. High Tolerance, do you want another?" He offered, gesturing to his empty cup.

Castiel turned to glance back at Dean, "Hmmm, I don't see why not." He replied. "I don't normally drink but if it's for fun, I suppose there's no harm. Plus I'm driving." He said.

They gave him another drink and he drank this one a bit slower but he eventually put it aside before crawling into the truck and settling in and looking at the sky.

Charlie arched a brow, still working through hers a lot slower. "Remind me to never challenge you to a drinking contest in the future. If you're like this now, your tolerance would probably be better when you're older." She replied. Kevin was sipping on his drink casually before he leaned onto Charlie, which took her by surprise.

Charlie looked down at him, "Kevin, are you a lightweight?" She asked.

"No..." Kevin mumbled.

Sam smiled a little, "Do you want some water?" He offered.

"Maybe..." Kevin glanced at him. Sam handed him the water bottle and Kevin took a few sips before drinking the alcohol again. "Come sit next to me Sam." He said, patting the truck.

Sam arched a brow before sitting next to him and Kevin leaned against him, taking Charlie with him.

"You're like the opposite than what you are when you're sober." Charlie commented. She snuggled Kevin in her arms and he didn't push her away. "I like this." She smiled.

"And you tell us we're too lovey." Dean teased them with a laugh, watching the three cuddled together. He glanced over at Cas and smiled, crawling up beside him and following his gaze upwards to the sky.

Castiel was lying down while staring up at the sky as he held his cats. He glanced over at Dean before snuggling closely into him and looked back up at the sky. "I used to watch the stars all the time. I never got a chance to get the book of constellations I wanted but I enjoyed staring at them. When I'm by the dock, the stars aren't as clouded by the city air but in the mountains or a more secluded area. I know the stars are abundant and mesmerizing." He told him. "I want to take you one day to come see them with me. Everyone can come and watch but I just want to show you all the beauty away from the city, what nature has to offer us. What we sometimes forget about because we're used to our simple routines." He told him softly. He reached up and traced the stars, "I find the world so wondrous, a mystery. Waiting to be solved."

"I'd really like that." Dean replied quietly, resting his arm around Cas as they laid and looked at the stars. He loved hearing Cas talk about things like that, about all the incredible things that Dean never really noticed until Cas pointed them out to him. The world became infinitely more amazing with Cas there to show him all the things he always overlooked.

Castiel leaned his head onto Dean's shoulder and watched the stars as the sky got darker. "It's almost the new year." he said quietly. It was 30 minutes from new years. "When do they start shooting fireworks?" he asked.

"Pretty soon." Charlie told them, after bundling Kevin and Sam in the blankets with her and laughing at how happy Kevin looked.

Castiel just nodded a little before staring back up at the sky. "I love the sky...It's so vast and expresses things. Like emotions. When it rains it's dark, then it's cloudy it's gray. When it's sunny, it's baby blue. It always changes and everyone can see a bit of it from wherever they are and it's all around us. No matter where anyone is, if they look up they'll all know that they are staring up at the same sky, breathing the same air, or walking the same ground. We're so alike everywhere but so different and I find that amazing. How can two different people come so close to want to be one thing, how two people can break apart, the sadness and bitterness over the beauty and kindness of the world. I find that amazing." he told him quietly.

"I think it's amazing that you think about that kind of thing." Dean replied softly, watching Cas trace the stars. "It's kind of comforting though- no matter where you are, you've always got the same sky above you. Through all that good and bad." He said. The fireworks would be starting any minute now, but for the moment he was content to just listen to Cas.

"Sas jalip sas pem vasi soloma dazi janim naco calo dazosi josipid nadasa nazili sad ninaza, dil ninadis wezisi polo vasi cos wezisi pi var, xinanili ninama ralasa cos nanom sol nanom. Volor dazad pi menan nalem polo. Pi menan ranenos nalem polo." Castiel turned his head to look up at Dean and softly said those words to him.

_**(As long as we are under the same sky and those bright stars shine at night, no matter where you are or where I am, million miles apart or side by side. Know that I will love you. I will always love you.)** _

Before Dean could ask for a translation the first firework set off in the sky, lighting up the dark. Everyone watched excitedly. Charlie and Sam hugged Kevin as they watched the fireworks set off one after the other. Castiel stared at Dean for a few moments before turning and looking up at the skies again only to watch the fireworks and a smile graced his lips, watching the burst of colors in the sky.

Dean looked up at the flashes of color and light that burst across the sky, a wide grin forming on his face. He glanced at Cas and paused, watching the different colors reflect and dance across his face before kissing his cheek and turning back up to look at the sky.

Castiel smiled before glancing over at Dean and finding his hand and lacing their fingers together to watch the fireworks. It was a slow start but it picked up after a bit then it all stopped and Charlie squeezed Kevin and Sam, "Big finish!" she said excitedly. "3...2...1. HAPPY NEW YEAR!" She blurted out as the sky lit up with a sky full of fireworks.

Castiel watched with delight, a bright grin spreading across his face at the continuous bursts of fireworks, he looked over at Dean before gently rolling on top of him and pulling him into a kiss. "Happy New Year Dean." he said softly into Dean's ear after pulling away the kiss. Everyone else was absorbed in the fireworks to notice them so they had a few moments before the firework show was over.

Dean rested one hand on Cas's back and the other against his cheek. "Happy new year. Let's make it a good one." He replied with a smile, leaning up to kiss Cas again softly. "Together." He added, breaking into a larger grin.

"Together." Castiel repeated with a smile before giving Dean another soft kiss, hearing the fireworks exploding in the background. As cliche as it was, it was perfect way to start their year. Castiel didn't want it to have any other way, spend it with anyone else or be anywhere else than with the people he had come to care about. He gently ran his fingers through Dean hair and rest his forehead against Dean's. "I love you." he said softly as the fireworks died down.

Charlie and Kevin both tipped back the rest of their drinks and Sam was sipping on the last of both the water bottle and the wine cooler. Charlie glanced back at the two before lightly hitting Dean's leg, "Don't be doing gross things. We're right here!" she scolded.

Castiel laughed and rolled off of Dean, "We were basking in the moment." he explained.

"Yeah yeah, rub it in that you have someone to start the new year with." Charlie rolled her eyes.

Kevin looked at her, "We're starting the new year together, all of us. You're not alone." he told her.

Charlie stared at him before she squeezed him tightly. "You're so cute." she said.

Sam laughed a bit before hugging them both, "We're all cute." he said.

Dean laughed as Charlie squeezed the others, lacing his fingers through Cas's. "And who knows, maybe this year will be lucky for you. For all of us." He offered with a grin, though he wasn't sure he could have a much luckier year than this past one with meeting Cas.

Castiel squeezed Dean's hand and leaned his head onto his shoulder and kissed the side of his neck. "I'm glad I met you Dean." he told him softly.

Charlie looked at the city, "Oh yeah! New year's resolution!" She said. "I want to be a pro hacker or at least get a girlfriend!" she declared.

"I want to get into Princeton." Kevin told them.

"I want to work harder to get into Stanford." Sam said next with a smile.

"I want to write my first book." Castiel smiled at Dean.

Dean smiled at Cas, glad that he was confident enough to at least try. "Let's see, resolution... Well, I want something I can actually keep, so I'm just gonna say I want to be happier this year." He decided. He'd never really been one for resolutions, but at least he knew this would be easy to achieve. Castiel smiled, liking Dean's resolution. He was already happier than he had been last year, correction, most of his life.

Charlie grinned, "Kudos to that Dean." she said. "Now, since it's New Year now and everything is out of the way should we take things back to your house and then play games until we pass out? I say for drinking games. You know...if Bobby won't be mad. At least we won't be driving after." she told them. Castiel glanced at the sky as they talked, seeing the stars a lot better than before.

"I think that sounds fine. Do you think Bobby would be okay with them coming over? I don't know about the drinking but at least we're not going to be driving." Sam supplied.

"I don't think Bobby will mind as long as no one's driving, and you guys are welcome to spend the night of course." Dean replied with a shrug, figuring there was no harm in it.

"Woo!" Charlie grinned, "Party at the Winchester's!" she said happily. "Let's go now before it starts getting really cold." she told them. Kevin was leaning on Sam and messing with Sam's hair and Sam laughed at how carefree Kevin was.

Castiel looked over at Dean, sitting up and wrapping a blanket around him with his cats in his arms. "Carry me Dean." he said nicely. "Please?" he added.

Charlie smiled, rolling her eyes affectionately. "I'm going to go start the car." she said before getting up and going to start the truck.

Dean smiled, scooping Cas, with the blanket and his cats, easily up in his arms. "How can I say no when you ask so nicely?" He asked with a chuckle, walking over towards the impala. He shifted Cas slightly so that he could open the door before setting him in the seat. "There you go. Still comfy?" He asked with a grin, thinking that Cas definitely looked comfortable.

Castiel giggled, pulling the blanket up higher with his cats so he can bury his face in them. "Mhm." he replied. "I'd be comfier if you'd come snuggle me though." he smiled.

Sam had wandered back to the impala and slid into the back seat after a few moments. Kevin and Charlie fixed everything else before getting into their car and waiting for Dean to pull off to follow. Castiel leaned up and gave Dean a quick peck on the cheek before he let Dean go to his side of the car.

"Mm, too bad they'll all complain that we're being gross." Dean said and smiled at the kiss, tucking the blanket around Cas slightly before closing the door and going around to his side. He slid in and started up the engine, pulling out and double checking that Charlie was behind him before starting to drive.

The drive was an easy drive home, Castiel had snuggled into the blankets and he was nice and cozy. He started to doze off a bit and Sam did too for a little bit. Charlie easily followed them and pulled up after Dean parked and parked herself.

She slowly got out of the car and laughed, "I guess we're the oldest of the bunch." she said to Dean. "Looks like everyone else is napping." she commented. "We'll play tomorrow. I mean, we still have break for a few days and nothing to stop us from celebrating the first day." she laughed lightly before going to the passenger side and gently nudging Kevin to get up.

Sam stirred and woke up, glancing around. He slowly got out the car before seeing Charlie and Kevin, he rubbed his eyes a bit before carrying Kevin in with Charlie in toll with all the blankets and pillows. She could barely see so she stacked a few on Kevin.

Castiel gently stirred in his seat, "Mmm? We're home...?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, we're home sleepyhead." Dean replied with a smile, scooping Cas up again. "Don't worry, you don't have to move. But one of these days you owe me a piggyback ride or something." He joked quietly as he carried Cas inside behind the others.

"I will...I'll carry you one of these days..." Castiel leaned his head onto Dean's shoulder as he held his kittens close. "Then...I can carry you around..." he said quietly.

Sam and Charlie made a lazy and quick place for them to lay before plopping down into the soft bedding. Kevin has fast asleep and Charlie put a blanket over him and snuggled in close. Sam laughed lightly before laying off the side of them. "Night guys.." he said softly before drifting back to sleep.

"Night..." Charlie murmured back.

Dean chuckled softly at Cas's response before yawning quietly. He glanced around at everyone already asleep and set Cas gently on their makeshift bed. He pulled a blanket over himself and settled in against Cas, already falling asleep.

Castiel pulled himself close, keeping his cats close. "Goodnight Dean..." He said softly before falling asleep.

They woke up later in the day to play. Kevin was indeed a lightweight, Charlie loved how cute he was. She was tipsy and said a lot of gaming things. Castiel was perfectly fine. He made sure to take care of things just in case. Their break was almost over and they spent their last days, laughing and making memories with their friends. Then school had to start again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't drink and Drive people, it's not safe, even if it's just a little. Don't be like these fictional characters.


	23. Three Part Series

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My note to the people reading this

Hello Everyone! The Come Guide Me Home Part is over, but the series, You're My Home is not! The whole series is going to be in three sections. Hopefully you'll want to continue because there's many things ahead for the two! They'll have Dean's birthday, Prom, Spring Break, Valentine's Day, and Graduation! There's much in store for them and it'll continue in the second part because I didn't want to overload in chapters. :3 So go check it out, it's called 'You'll Be My Path'. Okay, thank you for reading! Thank you for reading through the chapters and hopefully you'll continue! Thank you! <3


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